IDF intercepts Syrian drone at border

The IDF launched a Patriot missile against a Syrian UAV that was flying inside the demilitarized zone between Israel and Syria on Friday.

The military said “the drone was apparently hit.”

Eyewitnesses in Safed reported seeing the missile’s contrails in the sky at the time of the launch, The Jerusalem Post’s sister publication Maariv, reported.

In an unconfirmed report, Syrian rebels said the drone was intercepted by the Israeli missile on the outskirts of Quneitra.

This is the second drone downed by a Patriot in a week. On Wednesday, a Syrian drone penetrated Israeli airspace, flying 10 km. before being intercepted and falling into Lake Kinneret.

The country has previously deployed Patriot missile batteries to the North to intercept drones infiltrating from Syria.

Two weeks ago, a Patriot was fired toward a drone approaching the Golan Heights. The IDF said the UAV was not hit and withdrew from the border area following the missile launch.

Tensions in the North have risen in recent days as Syrian government forces, backed by Hezbollah, Iranian-affiliated Shia militias and Russian air

power, have fought to retake the Syrian Golan Heights from rebel groups.

In recent days, fighters in Deraa surrendered a swathe of territory near Jordan, allowing regime troops to turn their focus to the Quneitra province and areas closer to Israel’s Golan border. Anna Ahronheim contributed to this reports.