Golani 13th Battalion drones detected a squad of armed terrorists on Wednesday positioned on a mound of dirt near the IDF's logistical route, mounting a well-planned ambush.
The 12 terrorists were armed with Kalashnikov assault rifles and RPG grenade launchers, and some were wearing tactical vests. They attempted to hide under blankets to prevent aerial detection.
According to the IDF, a Hermes 450 attack drone was sent to the location, but did not open fire due to the weather conditions.
The terrorists, who apparently noticed the drone, folded up their ambush and fled into a nearby tunnel. At the same time, an alert was received regarding an enemy UAV over the area, presumably for coordination and control over the operation.
Field officials stressed that "this was a well-planned incident which included the use of a drone, weapons, and combat gear, and aimed to harm the forces on the main vehicular route." In addition, "The drone team tracked the movement of the terrorists thanks to footprints on an armored vehicle route that was covered in powder, which enabled precise detection of their movement."
It was also revealed that the terrorists were detected just about 100 meters from the area where a previous clash involving the division commander's forward command post had taken place.