UAV was used by army for routine reconnaissance operations; IDF soldiers entered Strip to return drone to Israel.
By YAAKOV KATZIsraeli drone 248.88(photo credit: http://www.israeli-weapons.com/weapons/aircraft/ua)
A small IDF drone crashed in the Gaza Strip early Thursday morning during a routine reconnaissance operation.The Skylark 1 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), manufactured by Elbit Systems is used by IDF battalions for surveillance operations and is operated by soldiers from the Artillery Corps.RELATED:1 killed in IAF strike against rocket cell in northern GazaIAI presents new Panther UAVThe unit which operates the drones was recently established and is called Sky Rider.The IDF said that soldiers then crossed a few hundred meters into the Gaza Strip, retrieved the drone and returned it to Israel where it was undergoing tests to evaluate the cause of the crash and to determine if it was human error or due to a technical malfunction.One person was killed and two wounded in an Israel Air Force strike in northern Gaza earlier this week.The IDF Spokesperson said that the air force targeted, identified and hit "a squad of terror operatives who were preparing to fire rockets from the northern Gaza Strip into Israel."Hamas officials said Israeli forces opened fire at one of their training grounds north of Gaza City."The IDF remains committed to protecting the citizens of Israel and will continue to act against terror," the spokesperson said. "The IDF holds Hamas solely responsible for terror emanating from the Gaza Strip."The Associated Press contributed to this story.
