US Army Iron Dome Defense System Battery live fire test at the White Sands New Mexico test range. Photo: Ministry of Defense Spokesperson’s Office.

i24 News – Israel’s army announced that it intercepted an unmanned aerial vehicle near the border with the Gaza Strip.

The UAV — which the army said belonged to the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas — was shot down by Israel’s missile defense system Iron Dome, ynetnews reported.

Shortly afterward, Israel’s army said that the mobile all-weather defense system intercepted a drone that seemingly attempted to cross into Israel via the Mediterranean Sea

According to ynetnews, there were no rocket alert sirens heard in the Israeli communities near the border during the incident.

Military sources disclosed that the UAV was under surveillance before it approached Israeli territory and was shot down by the soldiers operating the Iron Dome, which is usually activated against incoming rockets from Gaza.

Sources in Gaza, ynetnews reported, claimed that the drone was part of a drill in the Palestinian enclave that saw several missiles launched into the Mediterranean Sea.

Hamas frequently conducts drone tests near Gaza’s border with Israel, and Israel’s army intercepts them if they deviate from explicit airspace areas or altitudes.

In May, the conflict between Israel and Hamas saw the Iron Dome shoot down some three drones belonging to the terrorist group as they tried to enter Israeli airspace.

Three other UAVs were shot down by undisclosed means, ynetnews reported.

Israel’s army estimated that Hamas managed to acquire a significant arsenal of drones, among other munitions and projectiles, since the 2014 Gaza War.

In the course of May’s 11-day escalation, Hamas reportedly launched some 4,360 rockets towards Israel.