From the Liveblog of
Sunday, September 27, 2026
Senior IDF official extends ban on using small attack drones after lethal accident
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleEmanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
The chief of the IDF Ground Forces, Maj. Gen. Nadav Lotan, has extended a ban on using small attack drones, following last week’s deadly accident in the Gaza Strip.
Lotan held an assessment on the Thursday incident in which a first-person view (FPV) drone known as “Atalef” — Hebrew for bat — crashed during its takeoff at an army post in northern Gaza, and exploded minutes later when its operators picked it up.
The explosion killed Master Sgt. (res.) Nadav Kali, 24, and Master Sgt. (res.) Ofek Moalem, 23.
All such drones were grounded for 48 hours following the incident, and that ban has now been extended until October 4, “as a preventive precaution.”
Next Sunday, ground troops will be able to use small attack drones again, “as required, and report on their use,” the military says.
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