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[el retorno]

Jerusalem (CNN) -- The Israeli air force shot down an unmanned drone Saturday over the northern Negev desert, the nation's military said.

The Israeli Defense Forces spotted the drone, which did not carry any weapons or explosives, hovering over Gaza before it entered Israeli airspace, military spokeswoman Avital Leibovich said.

Forces kept the drone under surveillance until a fighter jet shot it down around 10 a.m. Saturday over the Yatir Forest, the IDF said.

Leibovich declined to discuss the drone's route or whether it had flown over military installations.

"We view this incident of attempting to enter Israeli airspace very severely and we will consider our response later," Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said in a statement released Saturday afternoon.

It was not clear where the drone originated. Military officials, however, said it does not appear that it took off from Gaza, which along with Egypt's Sinai Peninsula and Mediterranean Sea forms the western border of the Negev.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/06/world/meast/israel-drone-downed/index.html

Al Arabiya (Saudi channel) says it was Iranian and flying towards Israel's nuclear plant. Not the most reliable source but though it was worth sharing.

An unidentified aircraft that was shot down by Israeli air force in the south Mount Hebron area appeared to be Iranian-made aimed at penetrating the Dimona nuclear reactor possibly to examine targeting the plant in a future attack, Israeli media reported on Sunday.

Israeli fighter jets flew on low altitude in the Lebanese skies, Al Arabiya correspondent reported.

Israeli news website Ynet reported that although the aircraft that entered the Israeli airspace from the Mediterranean Sea would not have caused damage to the nuclear plant, it would give Iran and Hezbollah a major psychological victory.

Military spokeswoman Lieutenant Colonel Avital Leibovich later told reporters: “This drone was spotted over the Mediterranean in a sector near the Gaza Strip before entering Israeli airspace, where the air force followed it.”

“It was followed from the beginning until the time it was decided to intercept it and shoot it down for operational reasons over the Yatir Forest in the northern Negev, an uninhabited region.”

Israel was not aware that Hezbollah had advanced technology necessary to operate a drone over a long distance, the website reported, adding the military was trying to determine whether the drone was remotely controlled from a Lebanon-based command center or if it was controlled by space-based satellite navigation system (GPS). If It turns out that it was controlled by GPS, the drone was likely meant to return to its base or explode over the sea.

“Israel is aware of Iran and Hezbollah's technological capabilities. The current discussion is about how Israel should respond to such an infiltration of a drone and if it should be compared to the launching of a missile or rocket from Lebanon, which has always drawn an immediate response in the form of artillery fire or aerial strikes on targets in south Lebanon,” a senior security official told Ynet Saturday night.

Israeli is also afraid that unmanned aircrafts will likely be used in suicide missions by its enemies, such as Hezbollah and Iran.

“In the next war Syrian and Iranian drones will also be sent on ‘suicide’ missions,” a senior Air Force official recently told Ynet.

http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/10/07/242310.html

If it was helped by Iran it gives Israel, rightly or wrongly, more impetus to attack and takes away some of Iran's claim of being the "non-aggressor"

 

[Lambtron]

Initial reports say it was Iranian? I, for one, am shocked by this development.

 

[Ovid]

This doesn't sound like it will end well.

 

[diamount]

This doesn't sound like it will end well.

It's normal routine. They've been violating Iran's airspace for years now.

 

[Übermatik]

An unidentified aircraft that was shot down by Israeli air force in the south Mount Hebron area appeared to be Iranian-made aimed at penetrating the Dimona nuclear reactor possibly to examine targeting the plant in a future attack, Israeli media reported on Sunday.

Errrm, please don't.

 

[goomba]

Israeli warplanes have staged mock raids over villages in southern Lebanon, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency. The planes flew low over the market town of Nabatiyeh and its surrounding villages on Sunday. The Israeli military has declined to comment on the incident. The reported drills come just one day after Israel’s military shot down a drone that crossed into the country from the Mediterranean Sea. It remains unclear who launched the drone, but suspicion has fallen on the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

From RT

 

[Canis lupus]

There is a 10sec video from the IAF shooting down the drone.

 

[Übermatik]

There is a 10sec video from the IAF shooting down the drone.

Link?

*EDIT* nevermind.

 

[maquiladora]

Took off from Lebanon, west out over the Med then down south and crossed over Gaza and into Israel.

I doubt an explosive version of it could do much damage to Dimona. Probably just recording video for intel.

 

[strobogo]

A Vital Leibovich is both the most and best Jewish name ever.

 

[DOBERMAN INC]

I'm sure they won't use this 'evidence' as a rally for war with their citizens.

 

[SuicidalSteve]

Remember that the Iranians downed and captured the U.S Drone a while back? Could they have used it for their own means?

 

[goomba]

Seems double standards are applying as usual.

Israel violate the airspace of their neighbours on a daily basis but as soon as one does that to Israel, its a serious threat :rolleyes

 

[Osietra]

Took off from Lebanon, west out over the Med then down south and crossed over Gaza and into Israel.

That could almost be a lyric from a Counting Crows song. Maybe starting with some soft acoustic guitar and then BAM Nuclear war kicks in. French horns and stuff.

 

[speculawyer]

Israeli is also afraid that unmanned aircrafts will likely be used in suicide missions by its enemies, such as Hezbollah and Iran.

Uh . . . .



Dumbest kamikaze pilot ever . . . the drone operation shoots himself after crashing his drone into something.

 

[Technosteve]

false flag?

 

[Moral Panic]

Al-Arabiya eh? Where have I heard that before? Oh yeah!

Just so you know, Al-arabiya tends to make shit up like crazy. A recent headline of theirs said that assad rescued the turkish pilots shot down and executed them, then returned their bodies to the crash site.

The Turkish government came out and said that was bullshit. So yeah, truckload of salt.

 

[SniperHunter]

Remember that the Iranians downed and captured the U.S Drone a while back? Could they have used it for their own means?

this was really chilling, now Iran can pack these babies up with a lot of c4 and send them flying into a target of their choice. I am pretty sure that drone had anti radar skin.

 

[TacticalFox88]

Seems double standards are applying as usual.

Israel violate the airspace of their neighbours on a daily basis but as soon as one does that to Israel, its a serious threat :rolleyes

I know I feel like a completely terrible and heartless person for feeling this way, but sometimes I wish Israel would have an event that would make the entire country eat some humble pie.

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

this was really chilling, now Iran can pack these babies up with a lot of c4 and send them flying into a target of their choice. I am pretty sure that drone had anti radar skin.

Lol. I love this. It makes so much sense to send a drone packed with C4 than a rocket!

 

[LuchaShaq]

I know I feel like a completely terrible and heartless person for feeling this way, but sometimes I wish Israel would have an event that would make the entire country eat some humble pie.

As long as only the batshit insane/evil leaders bare the brunt of any death/violence and not the common citizen I'm 100% in agreement.

 

[DOBERMAN INC]

this was really chilling, now Iran can pack these babies up with a lot of c4 and send them flying into a target of their choice. I am pretty sure that drone had anti radar skin.

Don't these things barely touch 250 mph? as soon as its on radar it destroyed.

 

[SniperHunter]

Lol. I love this. It makes so much sense to send a drone packed with C4 than a rocket!

a rocket you can trace but can you trace a drone? It's a perfect assassination weapon

 

[shira]

a rocket you can trace but can you trace a drone? It's a perfect assassination weapon

Call of Duty 5: Perfect Assassination Weapon

 

[M.D]

a rocket you can trace but can you trace a drone? It's a perfect assassination weapon

Actually...

IAI Harop

The IAI Harop (or IAI Harpy 2) is an unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) developed by the MBT division of Israel Aerospace Industries. Rather than holding a separate high-explosive warhead, the drone itself is the main munition. This hunter-killer is designed to loiter the battlefield and attack targets by self-destructing into them. IAI developed the Harop for suppression of enemy air defense (SEAD) missions.[1]

The IAI Harop is a larger version of the IAI Harpy and is launched from ground- or sea-based canisters, but can be adapted for air-launch.[1] Unlike the fully autonomous Harpy, however, the Harop is controlled in flight by a remote operator.[2] The Harop features two guidance modes: it can either home in on radio emissions by itself with its anti-radar homing system,[3] or the operator can select static or moving targets detected by the aircraft's electro-optical sensor.[1] This latter mode allows the Harop to attack radars that are presently shut down and therefore not providing emissions for the aircraft to automatically home in on.[3]

 

[Bulbo Urethral Baggins]

I know I feel like a completely terrible and heartless person for feeling this way, but sometimes I wish Israel would have an event that would make the entire country eat some humble pie.

The most accurate term for someone who feels like this is " a piece of fucking shit"

 

[goomba]

I know I feel like a completely terrible and heartless person for feeling this way, but sometimes I wish Israel would have an event that would make the entire country eat some humble pie.

An "event" would only make things worse by making the Isarelis even more aggressive, they would use the event to justify their response, just as the US used 9/11.

 

[Sir Hamish]

The most accurate term for someone who feels like this is " a piece of fucking shit"

Look at you, big tough guy, hitting out with the nasty sweary words because you don't like his post.

He didn't necessarily say he wanted innocent Israelis to die. I'd agree with him that the Israeli government needs to 'eat some humble pie'. They need to learn they can't just bomb their problems away. If the cost of Israel eating some 'humble pie' is over 1,000 innocent Lebanese citizens getting to live the next Hezbollah kills/abducts a handful of Israeli soldiers I'd say it's a cost worth paying

 

[SniperHunter]

Actually...

IAI Harop

The IAI Harop (or IAI Harpy 2) is an unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) developed by the MBT division of Israel Aerospace Industries. Rather than holding a separate high-explosive warhead, the drone itself is the main munition. This hunter-killer is designed to loiter the battlefield and attack targets by self-destructing into them. IAI developed the Harop for suppression of enemy air defense (SEAD) missions.[1]

The IAI Harop is a larger version of the IAI Harpy and is launched from ground- or sea-based canisters, but can be adapted for air-launch.[1] Unlike the fully autonomous Harpy, however, the Harop is controlled in flight by a remote operator.[2] The Harop features two guidance modes: it can either home in on radio emissions by itself with its anti-radar homing system,[3] or the operator can select static or moving targets detected by the aircraft's electro-optical sensor.[1] This latter mode allows the Harop to attack radars that are presently shut down and therefore not providing emissions for the aircraft to automatically home in on.[3]

drone warfare is scary....its a weapon of anonymity IMO

 

[maquiladora]

Seems double standards are applying as usual.

Israel violate the airspace of their neighbours on a daily basis but as soon as one does that to Israel, its a serious threat :rolleyes

How is it double standards? Two advisories using similar methods to collect intel on potential targets. Hezbollah are pissed when it happens to them, Israel is pissed now because it happened to them. There is a cold war between the two sides for the past 5 years or so.

 

[strobogo]

Maybe he meant something more like "Jesus showed up today" instead of "Israel was bombed today".

 

[el retorno]

Al-Arabiya eh? Where have I heard that before? Oh yeah!

Hence my comment about it not being the best source in the world. The CNN article still stands. You are aware thought that Iran helps and funds Hezbollah? Drones are not the easiest thing in the world to make.

 

[Dubbedinenglish]

The day little Ahmed's RC plane was shot down....

 

[Ovid]

Remember that the Iranians downed and captured the U.S Drone a while back? Could they have used it for their own means?

They've had unmanned aerial vehicles dating back to 2010.

 

[thefro]

Hence my comment about it not being the best source in the world. The CNN article still stands. You are aware thought that Iran helps and funds Hezbollah? Drones are not the easiest thing in the world to make.

http://diydrones.com/

It's actually pretty easy.

 

[maquiladora]

Hezbollah head Hassan Nasrallah has been speaking today about the drone.

-First of all, regarding the drone, we are witnessing a unique operation in the history of Lebanon and the region.

-The Resistance claims responsibility for the operation.

-The Resistance in Lebanon sent a sophisticated reconnaissance drone from Lebanon toward the [Mediterranean] Sea, which it crosses for hundreds of kilometers, before it entered [Israeli airspace] and hovered over many important locations before it was discovered by the Israeli air force.

- Today, [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu held Hezbollah responsible for [sending] the drone.

-The drone was not Russian made, but Iranian. It was [assembled] in Lebanon.

-The drone took off in the specified trajectory for hundreds kilometers and arrived in an area close to the [Israeli] Demona [nuclear] plant.

http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArticleDetails.aspx?ID=445500

 

[Mammoth Jones]

This hunter-killer is designed to loiter the battlefield and attack targets by self-destructing into them. IAI developed the Harop for suppression of enemy air defense (SEAD) missions.[1]

 

[Slavik81]

Actually...

IAI Harop

This is where the FireShadow project came from? Very interesting.

For a country of its size, Israel's weapons development programs are rather impressive.

 

[ItAintEasyBeinCheesy]

 

[jorma]

Uh . . . .



Dumbest kamikaze pilot ever . . . the drone operation shoots himself after crashing his drone into something.

I figure they use the word because it sounds more desperate and terroristy that way.

 

[I NEED SCISSORS]

Remember that the Iranians downed and captured the U.S Drone a while back? Could they have used it for their own means?

I thought this was a huge cake at first.

 

[polyh3dron]