Israeli security guards at the Kerem Shalom border crossing into the southern Gaza Strip and Shin Bet operatives recently foiled an attempt to smuggle drones into the Palestinian enclave, the Defense Ministry announced Sunday.  During a search of an Israeli vehicle carrying toys, security guards found several drones of different sizes and types, all of which were equipped with quality cameras. Additional smuggling attempts of drones have been foiled by the Shin Bet in recent weeks.  The drones were apparently set to be used for spying on Israeli targets, the Defense Ministry said. Israeli authorities launched an investigation into the smuggling attempts.  
  
 In December 2014, Hamas’s military wing launched a locally manufactured drone during a Gaza City march in honor of the founding of the group, prompting the Israel Air Force to summon jets to the area, but no shots were fired at the unmanned aircraft. During the 2014 war in Gaza, as IDF forces battled Hamas in the Strip, Hamas launched two drones that were both blasted out of the sky by IAF-launched Patriot missiles soon after they crossed into Israel.