IDF still working to determine origin of drone intercepted near Syrian border

Jerusalem Post/Israel News/Defense NewsA military source familiar with the details of the incident said that, under standard procedure, before intercepting a drone, the military must verify that the aircraft is not of Israeli origin.Follow us on GoogleAn explosive drone launched by Hezbollah is seen near the Israeli border with Lebanon during a Hezbollah attack in northern Israel, May 19, 2026.(photo credit: AYAL MARGOLIN/FLASH90)ByAMIR BOHBOTJULY 22, 2026 08:48Three days after the Israeli Air Force intercepted a drone near the Syrian border, the IDF is still trying to determine who sent it. The military has ruled out the possibility that Iran or the Houthis were behind the launch and is examining other leads.On Sunday evening, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said that the Air Force had intercepted an unmanned aerial vehicle detected in the Syrian border area, adding that the source of the launch was under investigation. The IDF also said that, in accordance with policy, no alerts were activated.Three days have passed since the incident, and the IDF remains uncertain who operated the drone that was downed.Military confirmed that drone was not of Israeli originA military source familiar with the details of the incident said that, under standard procedure, before intercepting a drone, the military verifies that it is not an Israeli aircraft that has strayed from its route or lost control.Israeli soldiers at a staging area near the Israeli border with Syria in northern Israel, February 28, 2026. (credit: MICHAEL GILADI/FLASH90)The source added that once it is determined that the drone is not Israeli, and it enters airspace where it poses a threat to IDF forces deployed in Syria or along the Israeli border, a decision is made to shoot it down.By examining debris collected from the drone, footage of the aircraft, and additional data gathered from Israeli systems, the military is seeking to determine whether it was an American drone, an assessment considered unlikely, a Saudi drone that had lost control, or an aircraft operated by another party active in the area.A separate security source stressed that the possibility that the drone had been launched by Iran or the Houthis had been ruled out, even as the incident remains under investigation.Follow us on Google