Houthi group launches drone attack in Tel Aviv near US embassy

On Friday, Houthi rebels launched a drone attack in Tel Aviv, presumably in retaliation for Israel’s war against Hamas.

The attack reportedly killed a 50-year-old man and injured at least 10 others. The attack occurred in the central district of Tel Aviv, where several diplomatic missions are reportedly located, including a branch of the US embassy. The attack caused widespread confusion in the Israeli city. The drone was reportedly noticed before the attack. Human error was blamed for the failure to intercept the drone and activate the sirens in time.

Shortly after the attack, the Houthi group claimed responsibility. Yahya Sare’e, a spokesman for the Houthi organization, reportedly claimed the attack was a success and a “significant military operation” that exposed weaknesses in Israel’s defense efforts. A new drone that was deployed was reportedly able to bypass “the enemy’s interception systems.” Sare’e also said such attacks would continue.

“We will continue to attack these targets in response to the enemy’s massacres and daily crimes against our brothers in the Gaza Strip,” Sare’e said. “Our operations will not stop until the aggression stops and the siege on the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip is lifted.”

Ron Huldai, the mayor of Tel Aviv, said in a social media post on X that the city remains on high alert following the attack. Washington post reported.

The Houthis, also known as Ansarallah, were designated a terrorist group by the Biden administration in January 2024.

“Since November, the Houthis have launched unprecedented attacks on international maritime vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, as well as on forces stationed in the region defending the security of commercial shipping,” a US State Department press release said at the time. “These attacks on international shipping have endangered seafarers, disrupted the free flow of commerce, and compromised maritime rights and freedoms.”

“This designation is intended to promote accountability for the group’s terrorist activities,” the State Department said. “If the Houthis cease their attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, the United States will reconsider this designation.”