The Israel Defense Forces thwarted a weapons-smuggling attempt overnight Saturday, intercepting a drone that crossed into Israeli territory from Egypt.
Soldiers positioned at observation posts intercepted the aircraft and recovered eight weapons it was carrying, the IDF said. The weapons were handed over to security forces for further examination.
The IDF’s Paran Brigade, which is responsible for securing Israel’s border with Egypt, intercepted a drone smuggling weapons and ammunition across the western frontier, the military said on Oct. 27.
Figures published by Israel’s Ynet outlet late last month indicate that hundreds of unnamed aerial vehicles have crossed into Israel from Egypt in recent months, highlighting growing concerns over border security.
Between July 16 and Aug. 25, the Paran Brigade recorded 384 incidents of drones breaching the border. During the same period, there were 248 sightings of smugglers on the Egyptian side and 254 on the Israeli side.
An IDF source told the outlet that while most of the smuggling attempts involved goods such as cigarettes and drugs, at least dozens of weapons are being brought in across the border each month using drones.
