Israel’s renowned air defenses were reportedly breached by a drone strike that detonated in Tel Aviv, the first such attack on Israel’s commercial hub since the conflict in Gaza started more than nine months ago.
The Israeli military said the explosion was caused by a massive unmanned aerial aircraft capable of traveling considerable distances.
It suspects the explosive was launched by the Iran-aligned Houthi insurgent group in Yemen, almost 1,250 miles away.
The Houthis claimed credit for the incident, claiming they used a new drone named “Yaffa” to target Tel Aviv and bypass Israeli air defense systems.
The drone strike expands the militant group’s capabilities and threatens to broaden an already complex conflict.
The fact that the drone made it through underlines Israel’s challenges in protecting against drones, a relatively low-cost mode of attack that frustrates forces worldwide.
The drone, most likely an updated Iranian Samad-3, approached its target from the sea and was noticed, but it was not stopped, and no air-raid sirens were sounded before to the explosion owing to human error, according to the military’s preliminary findings.
The blast struck an apartment near the U.S. Embassy’s branch office in the city soon after 3 a.m. Friday, killing one person and injuring numerous others, according to emergency services.
According to Israeli authorities, the injuries were caused by shrapnel, a shock wave, or worry, and none of the victims were critically hurt.
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