IDF fires on civilian plane after mistaking it for hostile drone over West Bank town - report

The Israeli military fired on a civilian aircraft flying over the West Bank town of Beit El on Thursday night, mistaking it for a hostile drone. The incident unfolded after local residents reported spotting four drones in the area. Soldiers scanning the skies opened fire on a target they believed to be a drone. However, it was later determined that a diversion in the landing route at Ben-Gurion Airport had caused planes preparing to land in Tel Aviv to pass unusually close to Beit El at an altitude of approximately 1,500 meters. This event occurs amid a recent escalation of drone activity from Hezbollah targeting northern Israel. Earlier in the week, several Hezbollah drones exploded in northern Israel, resulting in the death of one IDF soldier and injuries to others. On Monday, a Hezbollah drone strike damaged a home in Metula, though no injuries were reported. The Upper Galilee Regional Council confirmed the incident and a subsequent fire at the impact site. Multiple drone intrusions were reported in the region within an hour on Monday, with shrapnel falling in Shomera.