Israel's military has retaliated against a drone attack originating from Syria that struck a school in the southern city of Eilat. According to reports, the Israeli army responded promptly, targeting the group responsible for the drone launch.
The incident, though not resulting in casualties, caused minor damage to the school. The Israeli military refrained from explicitly naming the organization in Syria responsible for the attack but asserted that the Syrian government bears responsibility for any terrorist activity originating from its territory.
Eilat, situated on the Red Sea, is approximately 400 km from the nearest point on Syrian territory. This drone incident follows a series of recent attacks on Israel from various entities in the region. The backdrop includes a significant escalation with a Hamas attack on Israel, followed by intense fighting in the Gaza Strip.
Of note, Yemen's Iran-linked Houthi movement has been actively launching missile and drone attacks on Israel since October 7. Although all these attacks have been intercepted or crashed, they underscore the growing regional tensions.
Adding to the complexity, on the same day as the drone attack on Eilat, the Houthis, controlling substantial territories in Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, claimed responsibility for firing ballistic missiles at various Israeli targets. These purported targets included military installations in Eilat.
The Israeli military reported the successful interception of a missile near the Red Sea using the Arrow-3 air defense system. Additionally, the Patriot air defense system intercepted a "suspicious target" in the southern Negev desert.
As the situation unfolds, the drone attack and subsequent events contribute to the mounting concerns over regional stability. The Israeli government holds the Syrian government accountable for allowing its territory to be used for launching such attacks.