Friday, December 28, 2007

IDF checking if Palestinian missile narrowly missed helicopter

Reuters video published Thursday captures air force helicopter hovering over Gaza when unidentified object flies by, emitting smoke trail
The Israeli Air Force is examining a video clip in which a smoke trail passes by an IDF helicopter hovering over Gaza. IDF sources say that they received no report from the helicopter's crew on an attempt to harm the aircraft Thursday or in previous days, but that in light of the pictures published today they will investigate whether the Palestinians attempted to down the helicop

IDF aircraft flew sorties over Gaza Thursday throughout the day, attacking different targets in the area. Palestinian terror organizations have recently announced their desire to hit an Israeli Air Force jet or helicopter, either through anti-aircraft weaponry or various missiles. Regardless, the pilots who flew sorties over Gaza Thursday did not report any such attempt and claimed that they saw nothing out of the ordinary.

The IAF decided to brief all air crews to conduct themselves with extreme caution, assuming that the Palestinian terror organizations in the Strip have acquired the capability to hit IDF aircraft. This has become even more clear with increasing reports of Palestinian success in smuggling weapons through the Philadeplhi route.

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