An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) belonging to the Israeli Air Force crashed this Wednesday (18) in Iranian territory after being hit by a surface-to-air missile during an operational mission.
The information was confirmed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), who reported that there were no casualties and that there is no risk of classified information being compromised.
+ Video shows the crash site of the Israeli drone
According to the Israeli media, the downed UAV was an advanced Kokhav model, manufactured by the Israeli defense company Elbit Systems.
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The Kokhav is a high-value multifunctional drone developed for long-range intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions, but also equipped with offensive capability against ground targets. The aircraft’s cost is estimated to exceed US$10 million.
The IDF spokesperson stated that the incident will be thoroughly investigated and that operational lessons will be immediately applied as part of ongoing preparations.
He emphasized that the Israeli Air Force has been operating in recent days at over 1,500 kilometers from Israel’s borders, with the aim of achieving air superiority and weakening Iran’s short-range missile launchers and air defense systems.
This episode marks the first time an Israeli drone has been downed inside Iran, intensifying the already fierce intelligence and military operations between Tehran and Tel Aviv.
Sources and images: Telegram @iribnews_esfahan | c14 | IDF Telegram @idf_telegram | Wikimedia. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
