A rare and lethal drone strike by Yemen’s Houthi rebels hit Tel Aviv early Friday, resulting in one death and at least ten injuries. This attack, the Houthis’ first deadly incursion into Israel, targeted a building near the U.S. Embassy branch office, shattering the city’s relative calm. The White House condemned the strike as reckless, and expressed sympathy for the victims.
A Houthi drone BYPASSED Israeli air defenses and struck Tel Aviv near the US Embassy. The strike KILLED one person and injured AT LEAST ten others.
ISRAEL-GAZA CONFLICT = ESCALATING = DANGEROUS.pic.twitter.com/6q5xPcW4VS
— Steve Hanke (@steve_hanke) July 19, 2024
The drone crashed into the center of Tel Aviv, spreading shrapnel and glass over a wide area. The Israeli military had detected the drone but failed to intercept it due to what officials are calling an error. Preliminary investigations suggest human error might have allowed the drone to breach Israel’s air defenses. The drone, identified as an Iranian Samad-3, is believed to have been launched from Yemen.
Video taken earlier from the scene of a #Houthi UAV explosion earlier in Tel Aviv.
Street shops near the site of the explosion were damaged and their windows were blown to pieces, and the drone exploded on the street near the US Embassy in Tel Aviv.
Tel Aviv alive 24/7…. pic.twitter.com/or7vuR2puF— Dana Levi דנה🇮🇱🇺🇸🇬🇧 (@Danale) July 19, 2024
In claiming responsibility, the Houthis stated the attack was in retaliation for the Israel-Hamas conflict and vowed to continue such strikes until the situation in Gaza is resolved.
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