Israeli forces diverted a munition from its trajectory in real time on Sunday after civilians were spotted gathering near a Hamas terrorist targeted in the Gaza Strip. The IDF had launched the strike against a terrorist from Hamas’s military wing, but during the operation, civilians were identified in close proximity to the target. Because the munition had already been launched and could no longer be aborted, Israeli forces redirected it from its trajectory in real time to prevent harm to the civilians.
The IDF said the decision was part of its efforts to minimize harm to civilians uninvolved in the fighting—even after a strike is already underway. The military added that the incident demonstrates its commitment to distinguishing between terrorists and civilians and taking available precautions to prevent civilian casualties during operations in the Gaza Strip.
