The Israeli Defence Forces have confirmed that troops intercepted a drone overnight that entered Israeli territory from the west in an attempt to smuggle weapons. According to the IDF, the incident was detected by the Israeli Air Force aerial control centre during routine monitoring operations.
The drone was tracked after crossing into Israeli airspace and was subsequently intercepted by IDF forces. Security forces recovered a cache of weapons from the drone, including 20 M16 rifles, as well as a weapons barrel and a stock of additional firearm components. The IDF said the seized weapons were transferred to security authorities for further investigation and processing.
In a statement, the military said the interception highlights continued attempts to smuggle weapons into Israel using unmanned aerial systems. The IDF did not disclose the origin of the drone or the intended destination of the weapons, citing ongoing security assessments.
Israeli security agencies have repeatedly warned that weapon smuggling poses a significant threat to public safety and national security. The incident comes amid heightened security vigilance along Israel’s borders. Investigations into the incident are continuing.