SANAA - Yemen's Houthi group in a statement on Wednesday night claimed responsibility for a drone attack on Israel's southern port city of Eilat that wounded at least 20 people.
Yahya Sarea, the Houthi military spokesman, said in a statement on X that the group fired two drones before sunset, targeting a location in Eilat.
He added that the operation was the second of its kind in less than 24 hours after the group launched multiple drones targeting Eilat and the city of Beer Sheva on Tuesday.
Israel's emergency medical service and the military said earlier that a drone launched from Yemen struck Eilat on Wednesday evening, injuring at least 20 people, two of them seriously.
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Israel's national ambulance service, Magen David Adom, said the two badly wounded victims, both in their 60s, suffered severe limb injuries.
Another man was moderately injured when shrapnel hit his upper body, while the remaining casualties sustained lighter wounds, mostly from shrapnel and bruising.
The drone exploded in the city center, in a tourist district near the Club Hotel, a large beachfront complex, according to Kan, the state-owned broadcaster. Kan also reported that Israel's air defense system attempted twice to intercept the drone but failed.
The attack came as the Israelis were celebrating Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, when Eilat is typically crowded with Israeli vacationers.
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Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz made a threat in a post on X, saying the Houthis would receive a much greater response than they did today.
The Houthis, who control much of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, have launched missile and drone attacks at Israel since the war in Gaza broke out in October 2023. The group vows to continue the attacks until the war and blockade in Gaza end.
Meanwhile, as Israel's military operations in Gaza City continue, an increasing number of local residents are evacuating south following an evacuation order issued by the Israeli army.
Citing security sources, several Israeli media outlets reported that about 700,000 residents have already fled Gaza City, which previously had an estimated population of around 1 million.
