Yemen’s Houthis Claim Drone Attack on Tel Aviv
Unlock Digest Editor for free
FT Editor Roula Khalaf picks her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.
One person was killed and several others were injured in a drone attack on central Tel Aviv early Friday morning that Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for.
The attack, which occurred at around 3 a.m. local time and did not trigger air raid sirens, involved a large, long-range drone that was not intercepted by Israel’s air defenses due to “human error,” an Israeli military official said.
A military spokesman for Iran-backed forces Houthis Rebels in Yemen claimed on X that the group had fired a drone at Tel Aviv, the Mediterranean city and business hub of Israel.
The Houthis, who control northern Yemen, have sporadically targeted Israeli since the war between Israel and Hamas broke out in Gaza in October. If they are confirmed as being behind the attack, it would be the first time they have successfully targeted Tel Aviv.
Militants have fired rockets and drones at the southern port of Eilat, causing little damage as most of the projectiles were destroyed by Israeli defenses. They have also launched multiple attacks on ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, severely disrupting the flow of goods through one of the world’s key maritime trade routes.
The Israeli military official said Israel “is not ruling out any possibilities” regarding the origin of the drone. Israel also intercepted a second drone on its eastern border, the official added, but said it was unclear whether the two were launched by the same group.
The Israeli military said it had increased air patrols following the blast.
Israeli police said a man was found dead with shrapnel wounds in his apartment near the scene of the explosion in downtown Tel Aviv, while 10 other people with minor injuries were taken for medical treatment.
“This was a relatively large explosive event. It did not explode on the ground or on a building. Fortunately, it exploded in the air and that is what saved the situation from creating a scene of even greater damage and more casualties,” said Tel Aviv District Police Commander Peretz Amar.
Roee Klein, of Israel’s emergency medical service, said most of those affected suffered shrapnel injuries, while one person was injured by the blast.
Police said a large number of officers were deployed to the scene of the blast and bomb disposal experts continued to search the area.
The Houthis say they are acting in support of the Palestinians as part of a so-called axis of resistance that includes Iran-backed militant groups. Israel and the United States have accused Iran of supplying missile and drone technology to the Islamist movement.
Additional reporting by Neri Zilber in Tiberias
