“In support of efforts to free the hostages, the United States is conducting unarmed drone flights over the Gaza Strip and providing advice and assistance to our Israeli partners in their efforts to free the hostages,” Ryder said at a news conference. press. “These unmanned aerial vehicle flights began after the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7.”
According to Israeli and American estimates, Hamas militants (designated a terrorist organization in the United States) took around 240 hostages on October 7, including foreign nationals, among whom there may be 10 missing Americans.
According information from the New York Times The MQ-9 Reapers drones used by US special operations forces were first spotted on October 28 on the public website Flightradar24.
While Israel frequently conducts drone reconnaissance flights over the Gaza Strip, Pentagon officials told the New York Times they believe this is the first time American drones have flown over the Gaza Strip.
According to Pentagon officials, American reconnaissance drones are unarmed and are not involved in supporting Israeli ground operations. The flights are concentrated in southern Gaza, about 24 kilometers from where the Israeli military offensive initially began.
According to aviation analyst Amelia Smith, who independently tracks US drone movements in Gaza, at least six different MQ-9 drones are involved.
According to CNN television, two more American MQ-9 Reapers drones were sighted off the coast of Lebanon over the weekend. The United States is watching closely for any signs that the Lebanese Islamist group Hezbollah or other pro-Iran proxies may attempt to escalate tensions in the region.
Since the October 7 attack, the United States has provided military assistance to Israel, including the transfer of artillery shells. Two US aircraft carriers and hundreds of troops were sent to the Middle East. Several dozen American commandos were sent to Israel to advise on the release of the hostages. But the observation flights suggest the Pentagon is taking a more active role in the Israeli military’s key hostage rescue mission.
The MQ-9 was designed as the Air Force’s first “hunter-killer” drone that can track and engage a target, but is primarily used for surveillance missions due to its sophisticated sensors and ability to stay airborne over a target area. .more than 20 hours straight. The MQ-9 has been used to conduct airstrikes and gather intelligence in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria. The MQ-9 is used by many armies around the world, but not by Israel.