The Iranian military was also silent on the claim to have photos.
Esmail Kowsari, the chairman of the Majlis Defense Committee, said the drone had shot pictures of “sensitive bases” inside Israel before it was shot down. “These aircraft transmit their pictures,” he said, “and right now we possess pictures of restricted areas.”
He did not produce any pictures or describe them beyond saying they showed “restricted areas.”
A senior Israeli military officer told the Associated Press no camera had been found in the drone’s wreckage and he did not believe the drone carried any cameras, though he qualified that by saying Israel’s investigation of the drone incident had not been completed.
The drone was made by Iran and assembled in Lebanon by Hezbollah, which announced it had flown the drone over Israel. Iran confirmed supplying the drone to Hezbollah.
Press reports in Tehran claimed the drone flew “hundreds of kilometers” in Israeli airspace undetected by radar in Israel.
Israel said it detected the drone while it was over the Mediterranean and followed it as it flew over Gaza and into Israel. Israel said an F-16 shot it down in an unoccupied desert area after it had passed over populated areas. No one has yet produced a map of its track showing what sites it overflew.
On Sunday, Iranian Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi said the drone that made the flight into Israel did not represent Iran’s latest know-how, which some saw as a statement made in advance of an anticipated Israeli announcement that the drone was of limited capability.
Kowsari said Hezbollah possesses other drones, including some that can carry weapons.
Iran has said Iranian-made drones have made dozens of flights into Israel over the years. The one shot down last month was the third instance Israel has announced.
