According to the IDF, an Iranian drone that entered into Israeli airspace in February was armed with explosives and demonstrated “an Iranian intent to carry out an attack” inside the Jewish State, The Jerusalem Post reported Friday.

By intercepting the Iranian UAV, IAF combat helicopters prevented the attack Iran had hoped to carry out in Israel. The UAV was identified & tracked by Israeli defense systems until its destruction, effectively eliminating any threat the Iranian UAV posed

— IDF (@IDFSpokesperson) April 13, 2018

The target of the attack was not identified. The IDF said that the drone that was identified and intercepted by an attack helicopter “did not pose a danger” while it was in Israeli territory.

According Air Force Chief of Staff Brigadier General Tomer Bar, the drone was an advanced model and possessed a signature that Israel had not previously encountered.

“We waited for it to cross into our territory,” Bar said, emphasizing that Israel gave priority to getting “our hands on the drone.”

The army made its determination about the threat after examining the remains of the shot down drone.

Following the destruction of the drone, Israel carried out retaliatory strikes in Syria targeting the Tiyas airbase from which the drone had been launched. Earlier this week airstrikes were carried out against the same airbase.

Following the incident, United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, described Iran’s piloting of a drone into Israel a “wake-up call” to the world regarding Iranian efforts to build a permanent military presence in Syria. “Iran and Hezbollah are making plans to stay in Syria,” she said.

[Photo: Israel Defense Forces / YouTube]