In first, IAF helicopter gunship downs two arms smuggling drones from Egypt
Military investigating fatal overnight incident along border, in which Bedouin man was shot and killed; survivor of incident arrested, but denies he and the deceased were smugglers
Stav Levaton is a military reporter for The Times of Israel
In a first, an Israeli Air Force helicopter gunship intercepted two drones during a smuggling attempt from Egypt into Israeli airspace on Thursday, the Israel Defense Forces said, releasing footage of the incident.
According to the military, IDF surveillance units and the air force’s aerial control center identified two drones crossing “from the west” toward Israeli territory. The aircraft was dispatched in coordination with the 80th “Edom” Division and shot down the drones as they entered Israeli airspace.
A senior air force official said the interception reflects a broader shift in Israel’s border-defense approach amid a surge in the use of drones to smuggle weapons across the border.
“As part of a deep change in our border-defense doctrine, the air force has established control centers operating under the regional divisions, significantly improving detection capabilities and the direction of forces against low-altitude aerial threats,” the official said.
The official added that the interception marks the first operation of its kind.
“We continue to enhance cooperation and operational capabilities to thwart infiltrations along the border,” the official said.
תיעוד מיוחד: מסוק קרב יירט שני רחפנים בעת ניסיון חדירה לשטח הארץ מהגבול המערבי
תצפיות צה"ל ומרכז הבקרה האווירית זיהו לפני זמן קצר, שני רחפנים שחצו ממערב לשטח מדינת ישראל בניסיון לחדור לשטח הארץ.
לאחר הזיהוי, מסוק קרב של חיל האוויר בשיתוף אוגדה 80 יירט את שני הרחפנים ברגע כניסתם… pic.twitter.com/guBC0UOkJh
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) December 25, 2025
The IDF also said it was investigating a fatal shooting that occurred overnight Wednesday-Thursday during a suspected smuggling incident in the Nitzana area along the Egyptian border.
Haaretz reported that the man killed was a Bedouin civilian from the village of Bir Hadaj.
According to an initial IDF probe, a soldier and a civilian, who were traveling in a civilian vehicle, were involved in the shooting after completing a planned operation.
It is unclear if and to what extent the civilian was involved in IDF operations.
While outside the designated operational military area, the two identified several masked suspects allegedly engaged in smuggling.
The civilian then opened fire at the suspects’ vehicle tires using both his personal weapon and the soldier’s firearm, causing the vehicle to veer off course.
One of the suspects was wounded in the incident and later died after being evacuated to a hospital, the military said. Haaretz identified him as Ayoub Mohammed Tohi, a Bedouin man in his 20s.
Another man who was with him was arrested, and the Beersheba Magistrate’s Court has extended his detention until Sunday on suspicion of involvement in smuggling, according to court proceedings cited by Haaretz.
Lawyers for the detained suspect told the newspaper that their client denies any involvement in smuggling and claims he and the driver did not realize they were being ordered to stop, saying the vehicle from which shots were fired was civilian and that its occupants were dressed in civilian clothing.
Relatives of the deceased said family members were prevented from approaching the scene after the shooting and that the vehicle involved was towed away and not returned.
The IDF said the circumstances surrounding the conduct of the soldier and the civilian are under review. The incident is being investigated by a joint team from the Military Police and the Israel Police.
The Times of Israel Community.