Israel vows response to Yemen’s Houthi drone attack on Tel Aviv: Media

By Abdelraouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM (AA) - Israel will respond to a drone attack carried out by the Iran-backed Houthi group on Tel Aviv, with a possible strike on Yemeni territory under consideration, Israeli media reported on Friday.

“Israel will respond to the Houthi drone strike (on Tel Aviv),” the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth cited an unnamed senior official as saying.

“The option of an attack on Yemeni soil is on the table,” the official added, considering a potential retaliatory attack.

The Israeli official noted that the drone attack appears targeting the American Embassy building in Tel Aviv.

“It's no accident that the drone exploded nearby,” the official hinted.

Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held phone consultations on the attack. His office issued a statement saying, “the Prime Minister has just concluded an assessment – via conference call – of the security situation with the participation of the heads of the security establishment.

The office, however, did not disclose further details.

Early Friday morning, the Houthi group launched a surprise attack, marking the first instance of a bomb-laden drone targeting Tel Aviv.

Through its military spokesman Yahya Saree, the Yemeni Houthi group declared Tel Aviv an “unsafe area” and a “primary target for its weapons.”

At least one Israeli was killed and 10 others were injured in the drone attack.

Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari said the drone that hit Tel Aviv was an Iranian-made Samad-3 model and it is believed to have been launched from Yemen.

There has been no immediate response from the Iranian side concerning Hagari's claims.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio