AviationNews – The United States military has reportedly begun flying surveillance drones over the Gaza Strip. The new missions aim to independently monitor a fragile ceasefire agreement and ensure compliance from both Israel and Hamas, according to U.S. and Israeli defense officials.
This operation, which began in recent days, is being conducted with Israel’s consent. The unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are being operated by U.S. forces from the newly established Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC) in southern Israel. This center, staffed by approximately 200 U.S. military personnel, was created by U.S. Central Command to oversee the truce and coordinate the flow of humanitarian aid.
The drone flights provide Washington with its own independent view of ground activity in Gaza, rather than relying solely on Israeli intelligence. While the U.S. has previously flown MQ-9 Reaper drones over the territory to assist in hostage location efforts, this new mission is focused squarely on ceasefire compliance. The move comes amid U.s. administration concerns that the truce, brokered in early October, could be vacated.
“This is a very intrusive version of US monitoring on a front where Israel perceives an active threat,” said Daniel B. Shapiro, a former U.S. ambassador to Israel. “If there was total transparency and total trust between Israel and the US, there wouldn’t be a need for this, but obviously the US wants to eliminate any possibility of misunderstanding.”
The deployment of U.S. drones underscores Washington’s direct involvement in preserving the delicate peace. The surveillance will provide real-time data to the CMCC, which U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited on Friday, calling the center’s work part of the “progress that’s being made” toward a lasting solution.
This mission signals a significant step in U.S. oversight of the post-war agreement, as it works to stabilize the region and manage the flow of aid. Both the U.S. State Department and the Israeli military have declined to comment officially on the operational details of the drone flights.