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A drone “launched from the east” was intercepted by the Israeli Air Force near the southern Israeli city of Eilat on May 12, according to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).
Video footage showing the moment the drone was intercepted by what appears to be an air defense system was posted to social networks.
The drone — which was likely on a one-way attack mission — is suspected to have been launched by the Houthis (Ansar Allah) from Yemen, although the IDF is still probing its origin. No sirens sounded amid the interception, “according to protocol,” the military said in a brief statement.
It marks the first drone attack on Eilat — Israel’s only port on the Red Sea — since the ceasefires in Iran and Lebanon took effect last month.
The Iran-backed Houthi rebels fired several missiles and drones at Israel during the war in support of Iran, Hezbollah and other regional allies from the “Axis of Resistance”.
None of the attacks carried out by the Houthis during the war caused much losses, and apparently because of this, the IDF refrained from responding by launching strikes against Yemen as it did in the past.
The latest attack was likely carried out by the Houthis in response to the ongoing clashes between the IDF and Hezbollah. Israel refuses to withdraw from dozens of towns in southern Lebanon, and continues to launch strikes against the country almost every day.
Tensions have been also building up again between the United States and Iran amid a stalemate in efforts to permanently end the war. These tensions manifested in several skirmishes in the Strait of Hormuz in recent days. This may have also been a factor in the Houthis’ decision to resume attacks against Israel.
Considering that the IDF is currently not conducting any major operations, Israel could use the drone attack on Eilat as a pretext to strike Yemen.
Reports from all the way last year revealed Israeli plans to launch a major campaign against the Houthis. These plans could materialize soon. The Houthis can, however, respond in a very strong way, even by restricting navigation through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, worsening the global energy problem.
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