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An Israeli Air Force (IAF) fighter jet inadvertently released a heavy bomb over an open area near Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak, close to the Gaza border, due to a technical malfunction. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that the incident on Tuesday evening resulted in no injuries and is currently under investigation.
The munition fell outside the kibbutz's perimeter, relatively near its western fence, and at a considerable distance from residential buildings. Local residents reported hearing an explosion but did not find it unusual, as such sounds are common due to ongoing military operations in the Gaza Strip.
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This marks the second known instance since the start of the war in Gaza on October 7, 2023, where IDF munitions have unintentionally landed within Israeli territory. In a previous incident, a tank shell veered off course and landed near the border fence. Additionally, a 500-kilogram bomb fell from an F-15 fighter jet into a residential area in the Eshkol region, which the IDF described as a "rare, serious and dangerous" malfunction.
Since the beginning of the conflict, the IDF has conducted approximately 80,000 strikes in Gaza. While such technical failures are rare, they underscore the complexities and risks associated with high-tempo military operations in densely populated and sensitive areas.