The Israeli Air Force claims an Egyptian military aircraft, model MI-8, trespassed into Israeli airspace on Wednesday, November 2 for 25 minutes near the city of Eilat. It caused panic in Israel, especially after the lack of response of the pilot in the plane to the Israel's Air Force's warning. Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported officials of the Israeli Air Force do not accept this incident and made a formal complaint to Egyptian authorities to find out the circumstances behind this serious and unprecedented incident. Israel's Air Force said four Israeli military aircraft, model F-16, were in an Israeli military base near Eilat, and tried to contact with the Egyptian military plane, which flew for nearly half an hour in Israeli airspace. However, the Egyptian pilot of the aircraft did not respond. The lack of response prompted Israeli helicopters to fly near the Egyptian military plane and the direct warning shots near it forced the Egyptian military plane to rush back into Egyptian airspace by the border, after 25 minutes of flying Israel's airspace near the city of Eilat. Israel's Air Force officials said this incident is now under formal investigation to determine whether the aircraft trespassed into Israeli airspace to spy and if not, what was its reason for flying into Israeli airspace. This news ties in with an incident, which occurred two weeks ago, where an Israeli pilot landed in an Egyptian airbase "by mistake," thinking it was an Israeli airbase. The Israeli pilot was released from Egyptian authorities after he was questioned.
