Cairo, Egypt – A drone crashed this evening near a hotel in the southern Israeli city of Eilat. The crash injured several people, some of them critically, according to Israeli ambulance services.
Accident details
The Israeli military reported that the drone was launched from Yemen. It crashed in the Eilat area on the Red Sea coast after air defenses failed to intercept it. The Magen David Adom ambulance service initially confirmed that five people were injured. Later, the number of wounded rose to 20. Among them were two men in their 60s, whose condition was serious. Another person was in moderate condition, and 17 others suffered minor injuries from shrapnel.
Attack style
Israeli Army Radio reported that the drone flew at an extremely low altitude. This made it difficult to intercept with Iron Dome missiles. Furthermore, the attack method resembled Hezbollah’s tactics last year. These tactics relied on low-flying drones to impede detection and interception of aircraft.
Reactions and actions
The Israeli Air Force dispatched evacuation aircraft. The purpose was to transport the seriously injured to hospitals in the central part of the country for treatment. Bomb disposal teams also rushed to the site. They needed to determine whether the shrapnel came from an interceptor missile or from the aircraft itself.
Israeli police confirmed material damage. Additionally, authorities have opened an investigation into the reasons for the delay in detecting the aircraft. They are determining whether it was the result of a technical or human malfunction.
Context
This is the second attack on the city of Eilat within a week. It follows a similar incident earlier this week. Although the Israeli military confirmed that the drone originated in Yemen, the Houthi group has not yet claimed responsibility for the operation.
