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Wednesday, January 29, 2025
IDF confirms interceptor that killed man in August was from experimental defense system
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleEmanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
Nearly six months after an Israeli man was killed by a defective interceptor missile during a Hezbollah drone attack on northern Israel, it is now confirmed to have been from an experimental air defense system that was previously not in use by the Israeli Air Force.
On August 6, Hezbollah fired several explosive-laden drones at Israel. The IDF said at the time that it managed to shoot down at least one of the drones.
During the attack, an interceptor missile missed one of Hezbollah’s drones and hit the Route 4 highway near Nahariya. Mikhael Sammarah, 27, originally from Kafr Yasif in northern Israel and a student in the Czech Republic, was critically wounded by the interceptor impact, and he died days later.
The Kan public broadcaster reports that the interceptor missile was launched from the Israeli-made SPYDER short-range air defense system, which Israel exports to several countries and normally does not use itself.
The IDF confirms the details, saying that during the war it worked to improve its response to the increasing drone threat, and therefore began to use the SPYDER system for the first time.
“During the fighting, it was decided to procure the system in accordance with the urgent operational need, and after an operational and professional analysis,” the military says in response to the report, adding that it received all relevant approvals.
The IDF says the investigation into the deadly incident on Route 4 led to “immediate lessons” that were implemented, while the SPYDER system continued to be used.
The Times of Israel Community.