Drone from Yemen smashes into apartment block in Yavne; causes damage but no injuries
IDF probe finds drone not continuously detected after entering Israeli airspace in south; no sirens sound; incident marks third successive day of attacks by Iran-backed Houthis
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
A drone launched from Yemen smashed into a residential building in the city of Yavne, between Tel Aviv and Ashdod, on Monday morning, the Israel Defense Forces said.
The drone went largely undetected before it impacted, and no warning sirens were activated.
According to an initial IDF probe of the incident, the drone had flown into Israeli airspace from the direction of the Mediterranean Sea after making a long detour apparently over Egypt.
It crossed into Israeli territory near the southern cities of Sderot and Ashdod, close to the Gaza Strip, and headed north along the coast toward Yavne, the probe found.
The military said it detected the drone at several locations after it entered Israeli airspace, though it was not a continuous detection. Because of this, the military was unable to predict the drone’s route and set off warning sirens.
A fighter jet was scrambled to shoot down the drone, but it did not have enough time and ultimately the drone struck the balcony of a penthouse apartment in Yavne, causing a fire and damage.
Medics said there were no injuries.
Footage posted to social media from the moments before the impact showed the drone flying over the city.
The Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen did not immediately take responsibility for the attack, though the group is believed by Israel to be behind it.
The incident marked the third day in a row in which projectiles were launched at Israel from Yemen.
A drone launched from Yemen is seen flying over Yavne and impacting an apartment building, December 9, 2024. (Social media: used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)
On Saturday and Sunday, the Houthis fired ballistic missiles at Israel, which the military said were intercepted by air defenses before reaching the country.
The rebels, part of Iran’s “Axis of Resistance” against Israel and the United States, have fired hundreds of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones at Israel since the outbreak of the Gaza war. That ongoing conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas led a massive cross-border attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage.
Israel has twice bombed Houthi targets in retaliation for its ballistic missile and drone attacks, one of which killed a man in Tel Aviv.
According to a report by the Kan public broadcaster on Sunday, Israel was considering launching “a significant attack” on Yemen in response to the recent strikes.
The Houthis have also waged a harassment campaign against shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden during the Gaza war, severely disrupting the vital trade route.
They have targeted more than 80 merchant vessels with missiles and drones since the war in Gaza started last October, including seizing one vessel and sinking two in a campaign that also killed four sailors. Other missiles and drones have either been intercepted by a US-led coalition in the Red Sea or failed to reach their targets, which have included Western military vessels.
The rebels maintain that they target ships linked to Israel, the US, or the United Kingdom to force an end to Israel’s campaign against the Hamas terror group in Gaza. However, many of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the conflict, including some bound for Iran.
Agencies contributed to this report.
