Israel used an unmanned aerial vehicle to drop tear gas on Palestinian rioters along the Gaza security fence on Friday, according to a Lebanese media outlet, in what would be the first reported use of a drone for this purpose.

Dozens of Palestinians took part in the weekly demonstration along the fence in the southern Gaza Strip on Friday.

Footage from al-Mayadeen, which is seen as sympathetic to the Hezbollah terrorist group, showed the Israeli drone apparently dropping canisters of tear gas on the protesters, who could then be seen running from the scene.

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A spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces said the UAV was not operated by the army but by the Border Police. She directed further questions to them.

The Border Police declined to comment on the report.

الاحتلال الإسرائيلي يستخدم أساليب قمع جديدة ضد المتظاهرين في غزةتقرير: أحمد شلدان | Ahmed Shaladan Posted by ‎قناة الميادين – Al Mayadeen Tv‎ on Saturday, 10 March 2018

The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza said two people were wounded in the clashes along the southern Gaza Strip. Eight other rioters were injured by Israeli fire during protests elsewhere in the coastal enclave.

Palestinian groups have called for clashes with Israeli forces to protest the US administration’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and relocate the US embassy to the city.

During one such protest along the Gaza border last month, members of the Palestinian Popular Resistance Committees terrorist group placed at least one improvised explosive device on the security fence, disguised as a flag, which they detonated a day later when IDF soldiers tried to remove it, injuring four of them.

In response to the IED attack, Israeli officials warned Gazans not to approach the fence.

“We know that the violent clashes on the border are used as cover for terrorist activity, as happened last Saturday. And we will not allow such an event to happen again,” Maj. Gen. Yoav Mordechai, Israel’s military liaison to the Palestinians, said in an Arabic video a few days after the attack.