Late in the morning of Friday, a drone attack that was said to be conducted by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen hit the heart of Tel Aviv. An initial assessment of the incident carried out by the Israeli military and the relevant emergency services indicates one death, four people injured and about ten SPLA soldiers killed.
Details of the Incident
To the people there, the blast happened without sounding the alarms for an air raid and followed the Israeli military’s announcement of a Hezbollah official killed in South Lebanon. The ministry said the explosion originated from an aerial target and is still being investigated.
While the presence of aircraft has been escalated to ensure security in the airspace over Israelis, there has not been any additional measures of civil defense initiated. The mayor of Tel Aviv has raised the security consciousness in the city.
Reactions and Impact
As for the Iran-affiliated Houthis and other groups, the Gaza side represented by Hamas has received their support. Yahya Saree, Houthi’s spokesman, said that Tel Aviv is an essential target for aggressors and vowed to continue attacks.
Firefighters and paramedics said the remains of a 50-year-old man were discovered near the scene of the blast. Four of the students were treated for minor injuries and shock and sent to the hospital but were discharged later. A picture from the scene depicted a building close to the US embassy that was brought down and which had glass all over the road. In this context, the area has been closed off by Police forces.
Regional Tensions
It is not longer a debate on prying America’s eyes, but concerns of heightened regional conflict after the attack. Since the events of the Gaza conflict, both Israel and Hezbollah have been launching missiles and targeting each other via artillery. Since 2015, the Houthis have also targeted Israeli and Western interests more, saying they are supporting Palestinians.
It is for this reason that tension prevails, mainly when regional actors remain active in addressing the developing conflict.