11:35 a.m. ET, November 3, 2023
US surveillance drones flying over Gaza to assist in hostage search
The US military is currently deploying surveillance drones over Gaza in support of Israel’s efforts to locate the remaining 240 hostages held by Hamas, the Pentagon has confirmed.
CNN previously reported that these drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), were dispatched to the region following the October 7 attack on southern Israel. The attack caught both Israeli and US intelligence services off guard.
“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,” said Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder. “These UAV flights began after the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas on Israel.”
Two other MQ-9 Reapers, highly advanced surveillance drones, were also observed flying off the coast of Lebanon over the weekend, according to sources familiar with the operation and flight tracker data reviewed by CNN. The US is closely monitoring any signs of escalation by Lebanese Hezbollah or other Iranian proxy forces in the region.
However, it remains uncertain how useful the imagery obtained from aerial surveillance in Gaza will be in locating hostages, as they are believed to be held in a vast network of underground tunnels, some of which were previously used by intelligence agencies.
US officials emphasized that the intelligence gathered by the drones and shared with Israel is solely focused on hostage recovery efforts and does not include any targeting information for conducting lethal strikes against Hamas leaders or positions.
Additionally, US special operations personnel stationed in Israel are advising the Israeli Defense Forces on hostage recovery, while separate supplies of bombs and other lethal aid are being provided by the US.
Brig. Gen. Ryder clarified that the US military is not involved in IDF target development or assisting in running their campaign in Gaza.
“We, the US military, are not participating in IDF target development, helping them run their campaign – just to be crystal clear that it is their operation. Our planning element is solely focused on providing planning and intelligence support for hostage recovery,” Ryder said.
Nevertheless, some officials acknowledged that the information gathered by the drones shared with Israel could also be valuable in monitoring Hamas’s activities beyond the hostage situation.
Israel has faced international criticism for its airstrikes in Gaza, which have been ongoing for weeks and have been accused of endangering civilians trapped in the blockaded enclave.
The Biden administration sent Marine Corps general James Glynn, a three-star general, to advise the IDF on tactical planning for their assault on Gaza, although he has since returned to the US.
Out of the 240 hostages still being held by Hamas, 10 are believed to be American citizens.
This post has been updated with comments from the Pentagon confirming the use of drones in hostage recovery efforts.
