I missed out on most of the CS2 operations and I’m wondering if there’s still a way to get skins from those events through in-game drops or is the only option the marketplace?

You can’t get them as drops anymore, but some cases are still tradable.

Skins from past CS2 operations are no longer available through active drops. However, you can still obtain them via trading or by opening old operation cases — if you can find them. A great summary of how operation skins are handled is on https://dmarket.com/cs2-wiki/. The wiki shows each operation, the associated skin collections, and whether their cases are still circulating. It also explains how some cases, like Bravo or Hydra, have become rare collectibles themselves. If you’re targeting specific operation skins, checking which collection they belong to and current case prices is essential. That way you can decide whether it’s better to open or just buy the skin directly.