[Elder Of Ziyon - Israel News] Hamas drone designed in Iran?

This morning Hamas announced that it had deployed drones to Israel. One drone was shot down over Ashdod

Hamas also claimed to have sent a drone that performed a successful reconnaissance mission towards the Ministry of Defense in Tel Aviv, as well as other drones. Those claims are unlikely, although Israel was surprised with a Hamas drone

Hamas named the drones as the Ababil-1, with three configurations: the A1A for reconnaissance, the A1B for dropping bombs and the A1C for "suicide missions."

It turns out that Iran has named drones the Ababll since at least 2006. They were used by Hezbollah as well as Sudan.

The naming could be a coincidence, although if the drone has any sophistication is very possibly did come from Iran. (On the other hand, mail-order remote controlled airplanes have become pretty sophisticated in recent years, although I don't know if they can be guided for 60 km.)

The Ababil in Muslim mythology is a bird that dropped bricks of shale on enemy elephants to protect Mecca from a Yemeni invasion. Operation Pillar of Defense was called "Shale Stones" by Hamas to recall the same event.

A couple of suspected Hezbollah drones have been intercepted over Israel in recent years, and a Hamas plot to send drones from the West Bank was foiled by PA security forces.

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Posted By Elder of Ziyon to Elder Of Ziyon - Israel News at 7/14/2014 10:00:00 AM