The report said it is unclear where the aircraft originated. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) tells Fox News the unmanned aircraft did not depart from the Gaza strip.
The aircraft flew over Israel for less than thirty minutes and did not carry any explosives on board, sources told Fox News. IDF spokesperson Yoav Mordechai said the aircraft was monitored and accompanied by fighter planes throughout its flight and it was possible to shoot it down at any stage.
Israel radio reported that it appeared to be an intelligence gathering drone.
Lt. Col. Avital Leibovich said Israeli systems on the ground alerted the air force to the drone Saturday morning.
Leibovich said the operation was successful and the military was in control throughout.
"We had monitoring contact from the ground and from the air. We alerted jet planes that escorted the unmanned aerial vehicle and due to some operational considerations we decided to intercept the unmanned aerial vehicle in the northern Negev area, which has no population," Leibovich said.
It's not the first time that Israel has shot down drones entering its airspace, but such cases are rare. The Iran-backed Lebanese militia Hezbollah has launched several such aircraft into Israel over the past few years.
Read more at Fox News
-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary
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