A drone shot down by Israel over the Negev desert transmitted photos of preparations for a military drill between Israel and the United States, and of key weapons sites in Israel, a British newspaper reported.
The unmanned aerial vehicle, or UAV, was shot down by Israeli troops on Oct. 6, after entering Israeli airspace near the Mediterranean Sea.
The drone was launched from Lebanon, in a cooperation between the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and the Lebanon-based terrorist group Hezbollah, the Sunday Times of London reported, citing unnamed sources.
Hassan Nasrallah in a televised speech Oct. 11 admitted to sending the drone which was followed, then intercepted and shot down in an unpopulated area.
The admission came several hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement saying that Hezbollah was responsible for launching the drone.
“We are acting with determination to protect our borders, as we prevented last weekend an attempt by Hezbollah,” Netanyahu said, according to his office.
IDF spokesman Brig. Gen. Yoav Mordechai said the aircraft was identified before entering Israeli airspace from the Mediterranean and was downed in accordance with a decision of the IDF’s top leaders.
Nasrallah said the drone was Iranian made and “flew over sensitive installations” in Israel, according to Reuters.
The Times reported that the drone was the new Shahed-129, introduced in Iran in September, which Tehran says has a range of up to 1,200 miles, can stay aloft for 24 hours, and has fire power.