One Killed, Eight Wounded in Drone Attack on Tel Aviv; Houthis Claim Responsibility - Israel News - Haaretz.com
A man in his 50s was killed overnight into Friday in a Houthi drone strike on Tel Aviv. According to the Israeli army, the aerial target was identified, but it wasn't intercepted and sirens weren't activated due to human error.
Eight people were wounded from the blast of the drone, which occurred around 3:00 A.M. in southwest Tel Aviv. The wounded were taken to two hospitals – Tel Aviv's Ichilov and Holon's Wolfson Medical Center. Five of the wounded were released later on Friday morning.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed responsibility for the drone attack, saying "the group will reveal details about a military operation that targeted Tel Aviv."
According to reports by Saudi news agency Al Arabiya, U.S. forces intercepted a ballistic missile and three drones fired by the Houthis, while the fourth exploded in Tel Aviv.
Surveillance footage shows the moment a drone exploded in Tel Aviv.
The Israeli army said that the long-range drone was most likely fired from the south, though other options are still being checked. The Israeli Air Force said an additional drone was fired overnight from the east, possibly in order to make it more difficult to identify the drone that targeted Tel Aviv.
Despite the attack on Tel Aviv, Israel's Home Front Command has yet to issue new guidelines.
Tel Aviv Police District Commander Peretz Amar said he believes the drone exploded midair, adding the explosion was heard in several cities in central Israel.
The scene of the attack, overnight into Friday.Credit: Hadas Parush
"The debris was scattered in a relatively large diameter. We have testimonies from civilians who said they saw a red object in the sky, which would explain why the explosion was not in a building or on the ground."
Roey Klein, a paramedic with the Magen David Adom emergency services who was among the first to arrive on the scene, said the man who died was found in his bed in a nearby building. He was suffering from shrapnel wounds and was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.
A police officer inspects damage caused by the drone, overnight into Friday.Credit: Hadas Parush
Klein added that two of the wounded were in their homes when they were hit, and two more were in the streets. Israel Fire and Rescue Services also reported that a vehicle caught on fire during the incident.
"The whole building shook," said Alon, a local resident. "My neighbors' windows shattered so I was sure something had hit the building. It was only when I went outside that I realized that several buildings had been damaged."