A drone attack struck Tel Aviv’s Ben Yehuda Street and Shalom Aleichem area on Friday, near the US Consulate. Yemen’s Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack, which resulted in one death and 10 injuries.
Emergency services found the body of a man in his 50s with shrapnel wounds in a nearby apartment. The injured, including a 37-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman, were taken to Ichilov Hospital. Four others were treated for shock at the scene.
Initial reports suggest that the explosion was caused by a drone that fell without activating a warning system. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) are continuing their investigation. Israeli police and emergency personnel were quickly on the scene. The Home Front Command reported no aerial intrusion was detected, which prevented an alarm from being triggered.
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The mayor of Tel Aviv, Ron Huldai, emphasized the severity of the attack and urged residents to follow government instructions. Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich have criticized the attack, underscoring the ongoing threat and the need for heightened security measures. Ben-Gvir alleged, “When you contain the fire on Kiryat Shmona and Sderot, you receive fire on Tel Aviv.”
Ori Kallner, head of the Golan Regional Council, stated that the Tel Aviv drone attack is akin to the ongoing rocket fire in northern Israel, highlighting the need for stronger deterrence across the country. Israeli police and emergency teams responded promptly, and a city-wide alert was issued. Tel Aviv’s Mayor Ron Huldai and other officials urged residents to follow safety guidelines and remain vigilant.
The explosion occurred hours after the Israeli military confirmed it had killed a senior commander of the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia in southern Lebanon. “An initial inquiry indicates that the explosion in Tel Aviv was caused by the falling of an aerial target, and no sirens were activated. The incident is under thorough review,” the military said in a statement. It said air patrols had been increased to protect Israeli airspace but said it had not ordered new civil defense measures.
The military spokesman of Yemen’s Houthi militants, which like Hezbollah are backed by Iran, said on the X social media website that the group would reveal details about a military operation that targeted Tel Aviv.
