On Wednesday, at least 22 people were injured, including two seriously, when a drone launched from Yemen struck the city of Eilat, in southern Israel, on the coast of the Red Sea.
The attack, claimed by Yemen's Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, occurred during the final hours of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and has reignited regional tension.
The drone struck near shops and restaurants, according to images released by Israeli forces and emergency services. Israel's air defense system failed to intercept the device, which has raised concern and prompted an internal investigation.
The emergency organization Magen David Adom (MDA) reported that most of the injured suffered shrapnel wounds, highlighting among the most serious a 60-year-old man with limb injuries and a 26-year-old man with chest wounds. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) deployed helicopters and rescue teams in the area to evacuate the injured and secure the site.
Israeli police asked the public not to approach the impact site, warning that unexploded ordnance could remain. Bomb disposal experts are examining the drone's remains.
The Houthi military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, confirmed that the attack was part of a "qualitative military operation," carried out with several drones, and claimed that multiple Israeli targets were hit, including Eilat (referred to by its Arabic name Umm al-Rashrash) and Beersheba (Bir al-Saba’).
