Houthi drone attack injures 20 in Israel's Eilat

Projectile launched from Yemen explodes in ball of fire in southern city

More than 20 people were injured in a Houthi drone attack on Israel’s southernmost city of Eilat on Wednesday, with two in a serious condition.

Israel’s military said the drone was launched from Yemen by Houthi rebels. It said it was working with police to provide medical care and evacuate casualties.

The Houthis said they launched two drones that Israel's air defences failed to intercept, "in response to the crimes of genocide and the dangerous escalation carried out by the Israeli enemy" in Gaza.

The attack came as Israeli strikes killed more than 80 people in Gaza, according to official Palestinian media, including children who were pulled from rubble. Yemen's Houthis say their attacks are in solidarity with the Palestinian cause.

Defence Minister Israel Katz hinted at an Israeli retaliation. "The Houthi terrorists refuse to learn from Iran, Lebanon, and Gaza - and they will learn the hard way," he said. "Those who harm Israel will be harmed sevenfold."

Drone attacks on Eilat, mostly from Yemen, are common, but injuries are far rarer. The Israeli military said it attempted to intercept the drone but did not elaborate on why it failed.

Dramatic footage on social media showed a relatively slow-moving drone flying into the city and exploding in a ball of flames.

Paramedic Eyal Dadon said there was initially a fire at the scene, and it was extinguished by firefighters. “We provided medical treatment to about 20 injured people, including two in serious condition who suffered severe shrapnel injuries to their limbs,” he added.

In an interview with Israel's Channel 12, Eilat mayor Eli Lankri called on the government to "strike the Houthis hard" in retaliation for the drone attack. He added that repeated Houthi attacks have disrupted operations at the Eilat port.

Eilat is a popular resort town in southern Israel. EPA

The army earlier said air raid sirens rang throughout Eilat, a popular resort town at Israel's southern tip near the Egyptian and Jordanian borders.

Eilat’s airport was struck by a Yemeni projectile last month. The attack was claimed by the Houthis.

Israel has repeatedly attacked Yemen in air strikes on Houthi militants, notably in the rebel-held capital Sanaa and the port of Hodeidah. The escalating Israeli strikes around the Middle East, hitting Gaza, Syria, Yemen, Lebanon and most recently Qatar, have alarmed Arab countries who warn Israel appears out of control.

Even as world leaders condemned Israel's actions at the UN General Assembly, Israeli troops have stepped up their latest offensive to capture Gaza city. Wednesday's death toll of 84 was expected to rise due to Palestinians being trapped in the rubble, according to news agency Wafa.

A civil defence agency said the toll included 22 people killed in three strikes on a warehouse sheltering displaced people, near the Firas market in Gaza city. An AFP journalist at the scene reported that several children were among those pulled from the rubble.

The civil defence agency said hundreds of families had been sleeping on the ground for days after fleeing from northern Gaza, unable to secure temporary shelter.