Let’s dive into the latest developments from the Middle East, where a significant escalation has just occurred involving the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Iranian-backed forces. Early Friday morning, Tel Aviv experienced a shocking and deadly attack.
The IDF confirmed that the “aerial target” that evaded air defenses and struck a building in central Tel Aviv was an upgraded Iranian drone fired by the Houthis in Yemen. This incident resulted in the tragic death of one civilian and injuries to eight others.
An explosion was heard near the former U.S. embassy on the Tel Aviv beachfront, which now serves as a branch office of the main U.S. embassy in Jerusalem. It’s still unclear if the embassy was the intended target. The casualties were all civilians, and there were no alerts activated before the attack.
A residential building in Central Tel Aviv was struck by an Iranian UAV launched from Yemen, leading to at least one civilian casualty and many injured.
We will continue operating to better protect Israelis against terrorism on all fronts. pic.twitter.com/SqGdcDRVT7
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) July 19, 2024
IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari provided details on the incident:
“Overnight, a UAV which we assess was launched from Yemen, infiltrated from the sea to our west, and hit a building in central Tel Aviv. As a result of the impact, a civilian was killed and eight civilians were lightly injured. We express our condolences to the family and wish the injured a speedy recovery. During the incident, no alert was activated, and we are still thoroughly examining the incident.”
The UAV, identified as a Samad-3, is an Iranian weapon likely upgraded to extend its flight range. Iran’s support and arming of its proxies, including those in Gaza, Judea and Samaria, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen, are part of a broader strategy seen in this recent attack. The threat of UAVs has been a constant challenge for Israel throughout the ongoing conflict. Many UAVs launched from Yemen have been intercepted by both U.S. CENTCOM and the Israeli Air Force.
In parallel with the Tel Aviv incident, another UAV was intercepted from the east and shot down outside of Israel’s borders. The IDF is investigating the connection between these two incidents and why the UAV was not identified as a threat and intercepted before impact.
The Times of Israel reported that the drone was detected by radar, but due to “human error,” air raid sirens and countermeasures were not activated. The Israeli Air Force has taken responsibility for this error, which has caused significant concern and could lead to a direct Israeli response.
Here, Israelis go to work.
Here, tourists go to the beach or shop.
Here, you can sit for a coffee and enjoy a Friday morning in Tel Aviv.Here is where today an Iranian UAV from Yemen struck a residential building. pic.twitter.com/1SWQpFQxOA
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) July 19, 2024
This incident marks a major improvement in the Houthis’ capabilities. Previously, they had primarily targeted southern Israel, but a successful strike on Tel Aviv represents a significant escalation. The attack raises serious questions about Israel’s air defenses and the threat posed by Iranian-backed groups.
Yemen, located thousands of miles from Israel, has been a launch point for these attacks. The U.S. has maintained a defensive posture in the Red Sea, focusing on intercepting Houthi missiles rather than taking significant action against them on land. President Joe Biden recently re-listed the Houthis as a terrorist group after initially removing them from the list upon taking office.
Anti-Israel groups in the West have applauded the Houthis’ attacks on Israel and international shipping. Yemen, although not sharing a border with Israel, sits along the Bab-el-Mandeb strait and has the potential to choke Israel’s southern port.
