Israel‘s air force shot down a Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) after it crossed into southern Israel on Saturday, the country’s military said, but the origins of the drone remain unclear.
The Israeli military released a 10-second video clip of what it said was the mid-air interception. In the video, a small, unidentified aircraft is seen moments before being destroyed by a missile fired from a fighter jet.
The drone was first spotted above the Mediterranean Sea in the area of the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip to the west of Israel, said military spokeswoman Avital Leibovich.
“We are not certain at this point where is the origin of this UAV. However, we are witnessing lately in the region a very big and thriving industry for UAV’s and of course we are following those attempts closely,” she said.
The drone was kept under surveillance and followed by Israeli air force jets before it was shot down above a forest in an unpopulated area near the border with the occupied West Bank.