The Israeli military said they intercepted an unmanned aerial vehicle believed to belong to the Hamas terrorist group near Israel's border with the Gaza Strip, by firing an Iron Dome missile at the drone.
The Iron Dome missile defense system is normally activated against incoming rockets from Gaza. No rocket alerts sirens were heard in Israeli communities near the border at the time of the incident.
The IDF said shortly afterwards that the defense system intercepted a UAV that seemingly attempted to cross into Israel via the sea.
According to the military, the UAV had been under strict surveillance before it was finally shot down after it approached the Israeli territory by the soldiers operating the Iron Dome.
Sources in Gaza, meanwhile, claim the system was activated due to a drill that saw several missiles launched from Gaza towards the Mediterranean Sea.
Hamas frequently tests its drones near the border with Israel, and the IDF intercepts them if they deviate from a certain altitude or airspace areas.
During the May conflict between Israel and Gaza's militant factions, the Iron Dome shot down no less than three of Hamas' UAVs attempting to enter Israel's airspace - while three others were shot down by undisclosed means.
According to military estimates, Hamas managed to precure a sizable arsenal of UAVs, among other munitions and projectiles, since the 2014 Gaza War.