Aircraft control tower in Ben Gurion Airport ( Photo: Moshe Shai/Flash90)
A dramatic near-miss took place this afternoon (Saturday) when Israeli air defenses activated against what was initially thought to be a hostile aircraft, triggering sirens across central Israel.
The target was later identified as a civilian Israeli plane operating without proper clearance. Military interceptors were already mobilized and, after failed attempts to establish communication, were ready to engage.
According to I24 News, only last-second visual identification through interceptor cameras prevented the aircraft's destruction.
* Arutz 7 contributed to this article.