Zionist media reported on Wednesday that at least 27 people were wounded after a drone exploded in the southern occupied city of Eilat, with two of the injured in critical condition.
According to Channel 12, the drone struck near the Club Hotel, a well-known tourist area in the city. The incident was accompanied by the sound of two explosions and the activation of sirens across the area, outlets said.
The occupation army’s radio confirmed that two missiles had been fired in an attempt to intercept the drone, reportedly launched from Yemen, but the operation failed. Military authorities have since opened an investigation into the failed interception.
This marks the second incident in less than a week. Last Thursday, another drone exploded near the Naveh Hotel in Eilat, causing damage but no major casualties.
The Yemeni Armed Forces announced that they had carried out the qualitative military operation targeting two occupation sites in Umm al-Rashrash (Eilat), in southern occupied Palestine.
Brigadier General Yahya Saree, spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces, said in a statement that “the Air Force carried out the operation using two drones, which successfully struck two enemy sites,” confirming that Zionist interception systems failed to stop them.
Saree added that “this is the second operation within the past 24 hours. On Tuesday, the Air Force carried out another mission with multiple drones, striking enemy targets in Umm al-Rashrash and Be’er al-Sabe‘ in southern occupied Palestine.”
He emphasized that the operation was conducted in support of the Palestinian people and their resistance fighters, in response to what he described as genocidal crimes and a dangerous escalation committed by the Israeli enemy in Gaza, and as part of Yemen’s response to Zionist aggression against the country.
Part of a broader escalation
The latest announcement comes against the backdrop of a major escalation in Yemeni operations against Zionist targets over the past ten days.
On September 18, Yemeni forces carried out three simultaneous operations, striking Eilat, Beer al-Sabe’, and Tel Aviv, using both drones and the Palestine-2 hypersonic ballistic missile.
On September 16, Yemeni operations forced millions of settlers into shelters and even compelled Zionist Prime Minister Netanyahu’s aircraft to make an emergency landing following a missile launch.
According to Yemeni officials, the operations are designed to support the Palestinian people in Gaza, retaliate against Zionist attacks on Yemen, and deter further escalation by showcasing Yemen’s growing strike capabilities. They also seek to sustain pressure until the assault on Gaza ends and the siege is lifted.