The IDF announced on Thursday evening a full return to routine in and around the community of Beit El in the Binyamin region, bringing an end to hours of tension caused by a localized drone scare.
The incident began when an "Air Hammer" emergency protocol was declared in the Binyamin region following reports that multiple drones had been spotted over Beit El and the skies of the neighboring village of Jalazone.
In response to the reports, extensive IDF troops were deployed to the area and began searches to locate the operators, with field reports initially indicating that about five drones had been sighted in the area.
Kan 11 News later reported this evening that the entire commotion was due to the landing path at Ben Gurion Airport being rerouted eastward. As a result of the diversion, incoming aircraft preparing to land passed just four kilometers from Beit El at an altitude of 1,500 meters.
The passage of these commercial flights led to the misidentification, triggered the panic across the sector, and ultimately prompted the official all-clear.
Before the reason for the incident was clarified, security officials conducted an initial assessment and concluded that the alleged drones were not explosive, but rather a type of drone that is prohibited from flying in Judea and Samaria.
In light of the incident, the alert level in the area was increased, and the response teams in the nearby communities prepared accordingly.
Sources at the scene suggested several possibilities regarding the source of the identification that led to the scare.
According to one report, earlier in the day, the IDF received an update about police aerial activity in the Ramallah area, and it could be that the lights from a police helicopter were mistaken for drones. The incident could have ended in disaster since soldiers in the area opened fire at an aircraft, which they thought was a drone. No injuries or damage were reported.
The Airport Authority also updated that an appropriate authorization was given to an aircraft to operate in the area during the night. Despite this, security forces are continuing operations until the investigation into the incident is completed and a possible threat is ruled out.