Air force head urges business as usual in Eilat after second drone strike in week

Israeli Air Force chief Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar tells Eilat Mayor Eli Lankri that the drone that hit the southern city earlier today, wounding over 20 people, does not represent a new threat and that business in the resort town should continue as usual.

“We will investigate the interception failure, learn and improve,” Bar is cited as saying in a statement issued by the Eilat Municipality.

A military official confirms the remarks to The Times of Israel.

“There is no new threat here, and there is no reason to stop normal activity in the city,” Bar said.

Bar says aside from improving air defenses following the second successful attack on the city in a week, the air force will also concentrate on halting the source of the drones: Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis.

“We will work to remove the threat from the root, while strengthening the defense,” he is quoted as saying.

According to an initial probe by the IAF, the drone was detected late, though sirens were still activated by the Home Front Command to warn civilians.

The failure of the Iron Dome to shoot down the drone was possibly because it was flying low, although this is still under investigation. Because of the late detection, the IAF did not have enough time to dispatch helicopters or fighter jets to shoot it down.