Drones targeted and destroyed eight houses, including two houses belonging to two al Qassam Brigade members, and damaged four houses. Two houses that were targeted were classified as "roof knocking." The IDF targeted persons considered as a part of armed groups by at least one of the human rights organizations in Gaza on 2 motorcycles, in two cars and in two groups of people outside of buildings.
The IDF made two drone strikes (with three missiles) in the Rafah area on November 16, seven drone strikes (with 11 missiles) on November 17, three drone strikes (with three missiles) on November 18, one drone strike (with one missile) on November 19 and two drone strikes (with four missiles) on November 20.
Besides drone strikes, the IDF made approximately 255 jet warplane strikes, eight artillery strikes and one naval bombardment in the Rafah area.
Listing of specific drone strikes by region
So readers may observe how the data was complied, a listing of specific entries concerning drones in both the Al Mazen and the PCHR reports are provided. Reading both of reports completely is very useful for a better understanding of the intensity of the large number of drone, jet, and land and sea artillery strikes in the small geographic area of Gaza, 25 miles long and five miles wide.
Three Israeli Drone Squadrons
The Israeli Air Force has three drone squadrons. The "200 Squadron" was established in 1971 and used drones in the Yom Kippur War of 1973. The Scout (Zahavan) drone was used in the 1982 Lebanon War. In 1992, the squadron began flying the Searcher (Hugla) drone. A second version of the Searcher (II) drone became operational in 1998. In 2005-2006, the Heron and Heron TP (Shoval and Eitan) drones were added to the Squadron. The "200 Squadron" also operates the Ryan Firebee I and II and the BQM-74 Chukar drones.
The "166 Squadron" was established in 2003 and operates the Elbit/Silver Arrow Hermes 450 (Zik) drones.
Both the "166 and "200" drone squadrons are flown from the Palmachin Air Force Base located on the Mediterranean Sea near the cities of Rishon LeZion and Yavne, near the Soreq nuclear research center. It is about 20 miles north, northeast of Gaza. 200 drones are located at Palmachim as well as two helicopter squadrons, the Israeli rocket testing and space launch facilities. Shaldag (Unit 5101), an Israeli special operations unit specializing in counter terrorism and hostage rescue, is also based at Palmachim.
A third drone squadron, the "210 Squadron" was formed in 2010 to fly Hermes/Eitan drones from the Tel Nof Air Force Base, one of three principal airbases of the Israeli Air Force. It is located is located near Rehovot, Israel, and is the home of airborne combat search and rescue units and is the home of the paratroopers training center for the Israeli military. The Tel Nof Air Base is about 17 miles north of Gaza.
Photos of 22 types of drones developed by commercial aircraft industries in Israel and tested by the Israeli defense forces can be seen here.
As in previous Israeli attacks, Palestinians in Gaza were killed by the IDF in a disproportionate number compared to the Israelis that were killed from missile attacks coming from Gaza.
The Israeli Defense Force stated that 1,506 rockets were fired from Gaza with more than 800 rockets landing in Israel. 421 rockets were intercepted by the Iron Dome air defense system and 152 rockets actually landed in Gaza, not in Israel. Five Israeli civilians and one soldier were killed due to rocket fire, and 240 Israeli civilians were injured.
27 times more Palestinians were killed in the eight-day attack than Israelis (162 to six) by the air, land and sea forces of the Israeli military.
B'Tselem, an Israeli human rights organization, published that in the eight-year period from June 2004 to 17 November 2012, 32 persons have been killed by rocket fired from Gaza-23 Israeli civilians (four of them minors) and one foreign national were killed in Israel, three Israeli soldiers were killed, one in Israel and two in the Gaza Strip by rockets and another Israeli civilian and three foreign nationals were killed by rocket fire at settlements in the Gaza Strip, before they were evacuated. Palestinian rocket fire also killed at least nine Palestinians (six of them minors). One Israeli civilian (a minor in Israel) and one soldier (in the Gaza Strip) were killed by an anti-tank missile fire. A total of 42 persons have been killed by rocket and mortar fire, and two persons have been killed by anti-tank missiles.
More Palestinians Killed by Drones Alone in 8 DAYS than Israelis Killed by rockets in 8 YEARS
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