Early on Friday morning, a person was killed by an explosion in a building in Tel Aviv, which the Israeli army preliminarily linked to “an aerial attack.” The incident occurred at 3:15 AM in the city center, near the United States embassy in Israel. Yemeni Houthi groups later claimed responsibility for the attack, which was not detected by Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system, designed to protect against daily missile and drone strikes from pro-Palestinian groups.
According to preliminary investigations, the explosion was caused by “an airborne object,” as stated by the army. No alert sirens went off, prompting the announcement of a “thorough investigation” into the incident.
“It may have been an airborne explosion… We were very fortunate,” said Tel Aviv Police Chief Peretz Amar at the scene. “The investigation is ongoing,” he confirmed. Zaki Heller, an Israeli emergency services spokesperson, confirmed to AFP that one person died in the explosion and at least two others were injured.
The front of the building hit by the Houthi attack bore the marks of the incident. Initially, the police reported seven people injured, mostly treated for shock, explained Heller. Police spokesperson Dean Elsdunne stated that officers found a body with shrapnel wounds in the damaged building.
A Tel Aviv resident told AFP that the noise woke them up in the middle of the night, saying, “Everything shook.” Responding to the explosion alert, officers inspected the vicinity for additional suspicious objects, according to a police statement. Authorities also advised residents to follow safety guidelines and avoid touching debris, which could contain explosives. Firefighters speculated in a preliminary report that a drone might have caused the blast, suggesting it evaded security measures before striking a central building.
The Houthi rebels from Yemen, supported by Iran, claimed responsibility for the drone attack on Tel Aviv. They stated that their forces targeted “one of the significant locations in the occupied region of Jaffa, now known as Israeli Tel Aviv” as an act of solidarity with Palestinians during the Gaza war.
### How Israel’s Iron Dome Works
The conflict between Israel and Hamas has highlighted the effectiveness and costs of the Iron Dome defense system, vital for safeguarding civilian areas from rocket attacks. This system uses advanced radar to detect and track incoming projectiles, which are intercepted mid-air by specially designed TAMIR missiles. The system’s coordination relies on sophisticated software and real-time data transmission. However, the Iron Dome only activates if the projectile is heading towards critical infrastructure or populated areas, allowing it to bypass smaller or less threatening missiles. The recent incident near the U.S. embassy raises questions about its capabilities.
### Israel’s Retaliatory Strikes in Lebanon
On Thursday, Israeli strikes killed at least five people, including a commander aligned with Hamas in Lebanon, according to militant groups and a security source. Since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, sparking the Gaza war, Israel has repeatedly targeted Jamaa Islamiya militants launching assaults from southern Lebanon over the past nine months.
A Lebanese security source noted that an Israeli airstrike on a house near the southern village of Jmaijmeh killed three and injured several others. Hezbollah confirmed that two of their members, including Ali Jaafar Maatouq, were among the dead. Maatouq was described as a commander of Hezbollah’s elite Al Radwan unit.
The Israeli army confirmed that its air force “eliminated” Ali Jaafar Maatouq in an attack on “a command center operated by Hezbollah terrorists in Jmaijmeh.” Earlier, Hezbollah had announced the death of another member in an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon. The Israeli army corroborated this, stating the individual had participated in several attacks against Israel. Another Al Radwan commander was reportedly killed in Majdal Selm, though Lebanese sources had yet to confirm.
### Other News
Additionally, traces of the polio virus have been found in sewage and contaminated water samples from the Gaza Strip, adding to the area’s public health concerns.
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ML
