The IDF said Saturday it spotted a squad of Hamas terrorists about to launch an explosives-laden drone at Israel, but instead had the drone crash onto the two terrorists, killing them.
“The IDF thwarted an attempt by Hamas terror operatives in Gaza City to launch a drone armed with explosives towards Israel. As a result of the downing of the drone, the drone fell on the launch squad and killed two operatives,” the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said in a statement.
The IDF announcement did not specify how the countermeasure was carried out, but according to a State Comptroller’s report on the threat of the drones, as early as 2019 Hamas used drones to drop explosives on IDF forces near the Gaza Strip.
As a result, the IDF acquired countermeasures systems to thwart the threat.
In recent years, Israeli defense industries have introduced capabilities for “soft” interception of drones by remote control, which allows the unmanned aircraft to be landed in its entirety so that the IDF can inspect the device, or cause a controlled crashing of the drone.
The interception on Saturday appeared to be the sixth such downing of a Hamas “Shebab” that is equipped with an five-kilogram warhead.
Photo: Hamas prepare ‘Shehab’ explosive drones for launch against Israel, May 15, 2021
Source: World Israel News