Security Incident at Ben Gurion Airport: Drone Causes Flight Stoppage

A civilian drone entered the airspace of Ben Gurion Airport this morning (Wednesday), causing delays at the airport, as first reported by N12. During the response to the incident, landings and takeoffs were halted during one of the airport's peak periods. Following the event, the Director General of the Ministry of Transport convened a meeting to investigate the incident. This is not the first time a drone has grounded flights at the airport.

About two weeks ago, it was reported that against the backdrop of security tensions, Israel is considering imposing a total ban on flying drones. A discussion on the matter was held in the Security Cabinet. The defense establishment recommends seriously examining this move as part of preparations for a broad campaign against Iran.

While a final decision has not yet been made, the discussion is already sparking sharp criticism in the industry. "Deciding that it is forbidden to fly drones in the State of Israel is to legislate a law that cannot be complied with," says Pini Yungman, president of the TSG company, which specializes in the development of air command and control systems, in a conversation with N12. "There are millions of drones in Israel, the vast majority of which are operated by children. It will be very difficult to prevent them from flying them, to supervise this, or to enforce the ban."