The Houthi forces of Yemen asserted that they attacked the southern Israeli city of Eilat using drones in a “retaliatory move due to the Gaza conflict. In the early hours of Tuesday, Israel declared that it crushed an unknown “aerial target” over the Red Sea.
A few hours after the initial report, an AFP report quoted a senior Houthi official as saying that drones from the Yemeni militia had been dispatched toward Israeli southern soils. The Houthi PM of the local administration, Abdelaziz bin Habtour, declared, “These drones belong to the state of Yemen.”
As conflicts in the Middle East escalate over the Israel-Gaza dispute, the Israeli army claims it had intercepted an incoming “aerial target” beyond Israeli territory. Inhabitants of the well-known Red Sea resort of Eilat rushed for safety as air raid sirens could be heard across the place.
The Israeli military claimed in an announcement that following an earlier alert about a potential “hostile aircraft intrusion,” its “systems identified an aerial target approaching Israeli territory.” It further stated that Citizens were not in danger or threatened.
The source of the alleged drone was not verified by the statement made. However, local media sources had speculated that it may have originated in northern regions of Yemen, which is controlled by the Houthi forces with support from Tehran.
Israel is concerned about this because it is currently embroiled in a fight on its northern border with Hezbollah, which is supported by Tehran. The Israeli border is close to the Egyptian Red Sea villages of Taba and Nuweiba, where explosions were triggered by drones four days ago. The Houthis, who are supported by Iran, fired drones and missiles with the goal of hurting Israel, according to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The events transpired in the aftermath of Hamas’s declaration, two days prior, that it had fired a missile in the direction of Eilat. According to the Israeli military, the missile touched down in a wide area. Additionally, this week, the American army said that a naval cruiser in the northern Red Sea had stopped Houthi rockets that were possibly aimed at Israel.
Following Hamas’ surprise strike inside Israel earlier in October, regional hostilities have increased. Hezbollah and Israel have engaged in escalating cross-border shelling since that time. Iran, however, disputes any involvement in the Hamas attack.
After almost three weeks of continuous bombing, Israel has increased the scope of its air and military assaults on the Gaza Strip during the recent days.
