An Israeli fighter jet on the way to the Gaza Strip inadvertently dropped one of its bombs on an open field near Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak in the northwestern Negev on Tuesday evening.
The bomb exploded, but there were no casualties or damage as it landed in an unpopulated agricultural area.
“A short while ago, munitions dropped from a fighter jet during an attack in the Gaza Strip fell in an open area in the Nir Yitzhak area as a result of a technical malfunction,” according to the IDF Spokesperson.
Kibbutz members heard the explosion but initially assumed it was the launch of an Iron Dome interceptor.
“The kibbutz is in constant contact with military officials and expects a thorough investigation into the circumstances of the incident,” according to a statement released by the community.
On Tuesday, Nir Yitzhak held an open day for families interested in living there. Terrorists attacked the kibbutz directly on Oct. 7, 2023, killing eight and taking six captive, as well as two bodies.
The kibbutz, which was severely damaged during the attack, has since been working to rehabilitate itself both physically and in terms of the community, and is opening its doors to new families.
The Eshkol Regional Council, which covers an area between Ashkelon and Beersheva, called the bombing “a very unusual incident” and noted that it is under investigation by the Israeli Air Force. “We are in direct contact with military officials and expect a thorough investigation of the case and the implementation of the conclusions regarding it in order to ensure that such incidents do not happen again in the future,” it said.
The incident was not the first of its kind during the current war, according to Ynet.
In June 2024, a tank shell went off course and landed near the border fence, according to the outlet.
In May 2024, a 1,100-pound bomb that had fallen from an IAF F-15 was found among houses in Moshav Yated, also in the Eshkol region. The IDF called the malfunction “unusual, rare, serious and dangerous.”
However, such incidents are still extremely rare.
