Israeli military on Monday reported it sank a suspicious naval vessel near the Gaza Strip shore, which the IDF said posed a potential threat to navy ships in the area.
A navy patrol boats spotted the Gazan vessel approaching it in the morning hours, prompting the troops to open fire and sink it. No one appeared to have been hurt in the incident.
"An Israeli naval force identified a potential threat in the morning. IDF soldiers identified the activity and thwarted it. The IDF will continue to act against dangerous threats in the naval space," said an army spokesperson.
Military sources said that the vessel was spotted off the coast of Khan Yunis and was tracked for several minutes before being targeted.
Over the past few years, the navy thwarted several attempts by militants in the Gaza Strip to launch attacks against Israeli targets both at sea and on land.
The Defense Ministry has been working to establish a maritim barrier to prevent any such attacks.