The IDF on Monday released footage showcasing its high-stakes mission to intercept two Iranian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) attempting to smuggle weapons into the Gaza Strip.
The videos reveal the breadth and length of the operation — from the initial tracking of the drones taking off and up to the targets’ eventual elimination — all made possible thanks to the seamless collaboration between the IDF’s various arms.
According to the IDF, the two drones flew toward Israel relatively far apart. Air Force pilots discovered them at 2:09am and 2:12am, respectively, and classified them as enemy aircraft within five minutes.
The first UAV was shot down by the Israeli Air Force's F-35i "Adir" aircraft at approximately 2:16 am, while the second UAV was shot down a minute later. The drones' fragments, together with the load of pistols they carried, were collected for further intelligence review.
IAF intercepts two Iranian drones
(Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
"Throughout the event, control and detection systems monitored the UAVs for some time and in tandem with planning, and control intelligence agencies,” the military said in a statement.
The military added that the interception was coordinated with neighboring countries and that targets related to the UAV threat were attacked in response.
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Fragments of an Iranian drone shot down by Israel, March 2021
(Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
The IDF estimates that such Iranian operations will intensify in the coming years, thanks in part to the considerable strides Tehran made in the development of its drone fleet, which still suffers from relatively low operational standards that puts more stock on quantity at the expense of quality.
In recent years, Israel shot down dozens such UAVs from Gaza, Lebanon and Syria. Despite the challenge in detecting the tiny aircraft, the military says it successfully intercepts 90% of UAVs nearing the Israeli border.