Israeli military downs alleged Hamas drone

Tel Aviv, Nov 9 The Israeli military announced that it had downed a drone "allegedly belonging to the Hamas militant organisation" which controls the Gaza Strip.

Israel's Iron Dome air defense system intercepted the unarmed aerial vehicle (UAV), which was downed off the coast of the Gaza Strip after being monitored, Xinhua news agency quoted the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) as saying in a statement late Monday.

"The IDF will continue to protect Israel's airspace and its civil," the statement added.

Last week, the Israelo Defense Ministry announced it will deploy an advanced aerial surveillance balloon to boost its air defense capabilities.

The system will be used after further testing and added to an already diverse array of mechanisms the IDF has for aerial defense.