Explosion
after drone attack
in Tel Aviv

updated July 19, 2024 - 7:31 a.m. CEST

TEL AVIV / ISRAEL - July 19, 2024 According to Israeli media, the Israeli metropolis of Tel Aviv was rocked by a violent explosion. The incident occurred shortly before 4:00 a.m. local time at the intersection of Ben Yehuda and Shalom Aleichem Street, a busy neighborhood in the heart of the city. The detonation left a trail of devastation, with significant damage to surrounding buildings and vehicles.

According to initial official reports, the event claimed at least one life, while up to eight people were injured. The exact circumstances and full extent of the explosion are currently still the subject of intensive investigations. Israeli police forces and explosives experts were immediately on site to assess the situation and avert potential dangers.

An initial Israeli Air Force investigation into the nighttime drone attack on Tel Aviv found that the drone was identified but not engaged by air defenses due to human error.

Since no action was taken against the identified target, no warning sirens were sounded. The drone struck directly into a Tel Aviv apartment at 3:12 a.m. after entering the city from the sea.

The drone's origin is still being investigated, with the IAF suspecting it came from the south, possibly Yemen, but not ruling out other launch locations such as Iraq or Syria.

The Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen claimed responsibility for the attack, but the IAF has not yet verified this. That same night, a drone likely from Iraq and heading toward Israel was shot down by fighter jets outside Israeli airspace.

The Israeli Air Force said the fatal incident should not have happened and took full responsibility for the failure that led to the attack. One man was killed in the attack on Tel Aviv and four others were injured.

The incident is particularly explosive due to reports that the Yemeni Houthi movement has announced a declaration of a military operation against Tel Aviv.

Sources: Times of Israel, Haaretz, Kan News,