An Israeli fighter jet on Tuesday night accidentally released a bomb near Nir Yitzhak, a kibbutz located roughly two miles from the Gaza border, due to what the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) described as a “technical malfunction.”
In a brief statement, the IDF said, “A short while ago, a munition fell from an IDF fighter jet that was on its way to a mission in the Gaza Strip. The munition landed in an open area near Nir Yitzhak due to a technical malfunction.”
The military did not specify the type of bomb involved in the incident. According to the IDF, no injuries were reported, and the circumstances are now under investigation.
Where the Bomb Landed
The accidental drop occurred near Nir Yitzhak, a small kibbutz community situated in Israel’s south, adjacent to the Gaza Strip. A spokesman for the kibbutz confirmed that the munition landed in the village’s farming area.
The spokesperson added that the community is actively engaged with military authorities and is expecting a thorough investigation into the incident.
According to Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics, Nir Yitzhak has an estimated population of around 550 people.
Community Still Recovering from October 7 Attack
Nir Yitzhak was one of the many communities targeted during the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023. In an interview with Israel’s YNet news published in February, local representatives stated that approximately half of the kibbutz’s residents have returned to live in the area since the attack.
While such accidents are considered highly unusual, this is not the first time an IDF munition has unintentionally impacted near Israeli communities.
In May 2023, a similar event occurred when an Israeli fighter jet accidentally dropped a bomb on the nearby community of Yated, which also lies close to the Gaza border. That munition did not detonate and was safely recovered by Israeli forces.
Just a month later, another military mishap was reported when an Israeli tank shell, intended for a target in southern Gaza, veered off course and exploded near the border fence. Shrapnel from the impact damaged a civilian vehicle in southern Israel.
