F-16 squad grounded after hitting wrong targets in Gaza, no casualties reported

'There was no compliance with procedures for verifying targets on the ground and negligence in entering the waypoints,' said the IDF.

 Un caza F-16 perteneciente a la Fuerza Aérea de Pakistán (PAF) actúa para conmemorar la 'Operación Swift Retort' de la Fuerza Aérea de Pakistán, tras el derribo de aviones militares indios el 27 de febrero de 2019 en Cachemira, durante un espectáculo aéreo en Karachi, Pakistán 27 de febrero de 2020 (photo credit: REUTERS/AKHTAR SOOMRO)
Un caza F-16 perteneciente a la Fuerza Aérea de Pakistán (PAF) actúa para conmemorar la 'Operación Swift Retort' de la Fuerza Aérea de Pakistán, tras el derribo de aviones militares indios el 27 de febrero de 2019 en Cachemira, durante un espectáculo aéreo en Karachi, Pakistán 27 de febrero de 2020
(photo credit: REUTERS/AKHTAR SOOMRO)

The crew of an F-16 in the IAF's fighter jet squad is grounded for three weeks after having attacked the wrong targets in the Gaza strip, Israeli state broadcaster KAN reported on Monday morning.

The grounding of the crew from the Ramon base reportedly occurred following two serious incidents in two weeks.

The first attack was carried out by entering incorrect waypoints on the ground.

A few days later, during a night flight to attack five targets in the Gaza Strip, the crew made the same mistake by mistyping one of the targets' digits and striking the wrong one, the KAN report added.

 An Israeli F-16 fighter jet flies over an airbase in southern Israel, March 4, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)
An Israeli F-16 fighter jet flies over an airbase in southern Israel, March 4, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Reports of negligence

"There was no compliance with procedures for verifying targets on the ground," the Israel Air Force (IAF) reportedly stated, adding that there was "negligence in entering the waypoints, failure to comply with procedures in performing additional controls by the crew, failure to change habits - even though the procedures were changed after the first mistake."

The IAF added that there was "no damage was caused and there were no victims in both cases."