The US military has acknowledged carrying out “unarmed” drone flights over Gaza, saying the UAVs were deployed to help locate hostages taken by Hamas. American officials cited by the media insist the aircraft are not supporting Israeli operations in the area.
In a brief statement on Friday, Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Patrick Ryder confirmed that the drone missions “began after the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel,” during which the Palestinian militant group took over 200 hostages.
“In support of hostage recovery efforts, the US is conducting unarmed UAV flights over Gaza, as well as providing advice and assistance to support our Israeli partner as they work on their hostage recovery efforts,” Ryder said.
The admission comes after journalists noticed MQ-9 Reaper drones circling the Palestinian enclave through flight-tracking websites. Though the UAVs can be equipped to conduct airstrikes, the Reaper is also frequently used for surveillance given its array of advanced sensors, as well as an ability to remain in the air for more than 24 hours straight.
According to multiple US officials cited by the New York Times, the missions mark the first time American drones have operated over Gaza. However, they stressed that the flights were “not supporting Israeli military operations on the ground” and were intended to “monitor for signs of life and pass potential leads to the Israel Defense Forces.”
Read more: Pentagon Confirms US Spy Drones Over Gaza
