An Israeli Air Force Black Hawk helicopter crashed Friday morning during a recovery operation after it was forced to make an emergency landing earlier this week because of severe weather, the IDF said.

According to the military, the helicopter landed Tuesday in an open area in Gush Etzion after encountering difficult weather conditions. The aircraft was damaged in the landing but there were no injuries.

During efforts to airlift the helicopter out of the area on Thursday, the aircraft became detached mid-recovery and crashed, the IDF said. No personnel were hurt in the incident.

Israeli Air Force chief Tomer Bar, a major general, ordered the establishment of a military investigative committee to examine the circumstances of the crash.

The helicopter involved was a UH-60 Black Hawk, known in the Israeli Air Force as the Yanshuf — Hebrew for “owl.” The aircraft type is a workhorse of the IAF fleet, used for routine transport missions as well as for inserting and extracting troops during military operations.

The incident comes as the Israeli military continues intensive operations across multiple fronts, placing sustained pressure on both air crews and equipment.

While no injuries were reported, the investigation is expected to focus on the recovery procedures and weather-related risks that led to the crash.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)