Tel Aviv. The Israeli Air Force (IAF) will have to develop a technique that will allow to operate its aircraft in an area protected by the Iron Dome air defence systems. This after an Iron Dome interceptor was launched towards a target mistakenly identified as a rocket launched from Gaza during Operation Guardian of the Walls.

According to the IDF spokesperson the interceptor was launched actually against an IAF F-15 that was on a mission in the area attacking Hamas targets in Gaza. The battery that launched the interceptor immediately understood the mistake and sent a signal that exploded the interceptor in its trajectory. The aircraft was damaged by shrapnel fragments.

The IDF’s spokesperson commented on the incident in a statement. “The event was a complex, aerial incident in which the IAF was required to carry out missions in Gaza while simultaneously  intercepting thousands of missiles,” IDF said in the statement.

“The IAF is investigating this incident and will learn from it, in order to better its ability to perform defensive and attacking missions simultaneously while maintaining Israel’s security,” the statement added.

Sources here say that future wars in the area will create similar or even complex situations, the IAF will have to find a way to solve the problem.

-The writer is an International Roving Correspondent of the publication. Views expressed are personal and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda