JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Israeli troops shot down a drone carrying three assault rifles as it crossed from Egypt into Israel early Thursday, the military said.
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Soldiers monitoring surveillance cameras spotted the device near the border. Members of the Paran Regional Brigade then downed it, the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement.
The weapons were turned over to police for investigation.
In the past year, drones have been used repeatedly to smuggle weapons and drugs across the Egyptian frontier.
On Thursday, Defense Minister Israel Katz declared “war” on such drone smuggling, ordering the military to designate the border area a closed military zone and directing the Shin Bet internal security agency to classify the attempts as terrorism.
Also this week, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir instructed forces to prioritize resources against the drone threat along the Egyptian border.
