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Israeli war jets shoot down Hamas drone over Gaza Strip

Xinhua, September 20, 2016 Adjust font size:

Israeli war jets shot down on Tuesday a reconnaissance drone belonging to the armed wing of Islamic Hamas movement over the coastline of the Gaza Strip, Israeli army said.

An IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) spokesman said in a press statement that the drone had been under full surveillance from the moment it took off, and it did not cross into or fly through Israeli air space.

"The IDF will not permit any violation of its air space, and will act with determination against any such effort," the statement warned.

Witnesses in Gaza said they saw Israeli F-16 war jets hovering over the western part of the Gaza Strip and smoke in the sky over the coastline of the enclave.

There has been no immediate response of Izedin al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas armed wing, which has been ruling the Gaza Strip since the Islamic movement violent takeover of the coastal enclave in 2007.

It is the first time that Israeli war jets shot down a drone that belongs to Hamas armed wing.

During the last large-scale military offensive waged on the Gaza Strip for 50 days in 2014, Hamas announced that it built up drones that flew over Israeli cities. Endit