"The UAVs attacked two convoys, killing at least 50 smugglers and their
Iranian escorts," Mahnaimi wrote. "All the lorries carrying the long-range
rockets were destroyed."
This marked the first report of Israel's use of UAVs for attack missions
outside the Levant. Israel was said to have used the Hermes and other UAVs
for missile strikes in the Gaza Strip in the war with Hamas in January 2009.
The Eitan, with an endurance of nearly 50 hours, could be controlled
from an air force facility in Israel. The Eitan was said to be capable of
hovering over a target for 24 hours and has been cited as a potential asset
in any Israeli air strike of Iran's nuclear weapons facilities.
Defense sources said Israel preferred using the UAVs rather than manned
aircraft to attack the Hamas convoys. The sources said high-altitude UAVs
were more capable of tracking a moving target.
"When you attack a fixed target, especially a big one, you are better
off using jet aircraft," Mahnaimi quoted a defense source as saying. "But
with a moving target with no definite time for the move UAVs are best, as
they can hover extremely high and remain unseen until the target is on the
move."
Israel has refused to confirm or deny air strikes in Sudan. But
officials said Hamas has accelerated the smuggling of missiles, explosives
and components for weapons in 2009, including 22 tons of explosives and 45
tons
of material for weapons, mortars and anti-aircraft missiles.
