WarSclerotic

The Israel Air Force on Saturday shot down an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that had crossed into Israel’s airspace and flew over settlements and military bases in the Negev on Saturday morning, according to the IDF Spokesman’s Office.

The unmanned aerial vehicle was shot down at around 10am in an open area in the northern Negev by the IAF. The IDF said the UAV was spotted entering Israeli airspace from the Mediterranean sea heading from West to East.

From the moment that it was identified, a squadron of F-16I fighter jets were scrambled from the Ramon airbase in the Negev, and accompanied the UAV. The air force was able to shoot down the UAV at any time, but chose to fly along with it for several minutes. For safety reasons, the air force took a decision to shoot down the UAV over the northern Negev.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz received real-time updates throughout the incident, the IDF said.

IDF ground forces collected the fragments and were analyzing them.The IDF did not believe that the UAV was on an attack mission, but rather sent to gather intelligence. There were no explosives attached to the air craft, and it did not originate in the Gaza Strip, contrary to Palestinian reports.

It remains unclear where the UAV took off from.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak praised the IDF and the air force for their quick and effective interception, adding that the incident occurred in an area south of Hebron.

“We take a severe view of the attempt to harm Israeli airspace, and we will consider our response,” Barak said.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu also praised the IDF for downing the UAV, stating, “We will continue defending our borders at sea, on land and in the air for the safety of the citizens of Israel.”

On at least one occasion, Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon, has launched a drone into Israel. And in 2010, an IAF warplane shot down an apparently unmanned balloon in the Negev near the Dimona nuclear reactor.

Reuters contributed to this report.