Gush Etzion Terrorists Caught by Thermal Drone

A terrorist cell from the village of al-Khader on Monday threw Molotov cocktails at a road where tens of thousands of Israelis travel. Fighters from the Netz Company of the Nitzan Battalion identified the cell using a thermal hovercraft and captured them following a short chase.

In the documentation published by the IDF Spokesperson's Office, a terrorist is seen arriving with a squad from the village of al-Khader, north of the town of Efrat, and throwing Molotov cocktails at Route 60, a major traffic artery.

The fighters ambushed the terrorists and identified them in real-time using a DJI Matrice 100 drone deployed with a thermal camera, while the terrorists were throwing Molotov cocktails. The fighters also used special helmet cameras that helped them locate the terrorists from the point of the ambush.

Observers from the Etzion Regional Brigade directed the fighters who began chasing the terror cell on foot, and after only a few minutes managed to catch one terrorist and transfer him to the Shabak for interrogation.

IDF sources said that over the past year, the Nitzan Battalion's soldiers have carried out about 90 successful ambushes, during which they foiled efforts to throw stones and Molotov cocktails at Israeli vehicles.

The residents of Efrat, Beitar Ilit and nearby communities endure nightly attacks with stones and Molotov cocktails by the residents of the Husan and al-'Arub villages, most of which end without casualties on the Israeli side. IDF sources noted that successful captures of stone throwers and Molotov cocktails have been carried out recently.