Israel’s Iron Dome Shoots Own Drone, Malfunction led to Hamas Rockets Falling on Ashkelon

An Iron Dome battery of Israel Defense Forces (IDF) shot down its own Surveillance UAV during the 11-day conflict with Hamas while in another incident, the battery malfunctioned allowing rockets from Gaza to rain down on Ashkelon city.

In the first incident, IDF personnel operating the Iron Dome air defense system mistook the drone for a hostile aircraft, Haaretz newspaper wrote.

The downed drone has been identified as a Skylark UAV operated by the IDF Sky Rider unit that carries out observation and intelligence gathering missions, the report added.

In the second incident,  an Iron Dome battery guarding Ashkelon city malfunctioned allowing a barrage of Hamas-fired rockets on Ashkelon, resulting in failure to intercept some rockets.

The technical snag, which the Times of Israel reported on May 12, may have been “responsible for the casualties and deaths in the city.” The malfunction was repaired and the battery is now fully operational, the report said quoting Channel 12 network.

The IDF has claimed that the Iron Dome was successful in intercepting 90% of rockets fired towards Israel.