Eilat school hit by drone strike from Syria; one injured
A drone caused a large explosion at an elementary school in Eilat on Thursday afternoon, injuring one civilian, reported the Israel Defense Forces.
“A UAV hit a civilian building in the city of Eilat in southern Israel. The identity of the UAV and the details of the incident are under review,” said the IDF.
A 20-year-old man suffered from smoke inhalation and was evacuated to the city’s Yoseftal Medical Center, the Magen David Adom emergency response service said. In addition, paramedics treated five people suffering from anxiety.
“A short time ago, there was an explosion at the Tze’elim School in Eilat,” said Education Minister Yoav Kisch in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Those present at the school at the time of the explosion were special-education students who were in the bomb shelter, said Kisch.
“I spoke with the mayor of Eilat, Eli Lankri, and with officials of the Ministry of Education in the city and they updated me on the details and the steps being taken,” he added.
Lankri ordered the cancelation of all after-school activities set to take place on Thursday, the Eilat Municipality announced.
Those present at the school at the time of the explosion were special-education students who were in the bomb shelter, said Education Minister Yoav Kisch.
The Israel Defense Forces struck assets in Syria overnight on Thursday that belong to the group responsible for launching a drone at a school in Eilat the previous day.
“The Syrian regime is fully responsible for all terror activity that is carried out from Syrian territory. The IDF will respond severely to any attempt to attack the territory of the State of Israel,” according to a military statement.
The military did not specify which organization was behind the UAV attack on Israel’s southernmost city or what targets were hit in Syria.
On Thursday evening, Israel’s Arrow air-defense system intercepted a missile launched towards the Jewish state from the “Red Sea area,” IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Daniel Hagari said.
“The target did not cross into Israeli territory,” added Hagari.
Some two hours later, a Patriot missile interceptor battery in the south intercepted another “suspicious target” before it crossed into Israeli territory, the IDF said.
In a statement posted to X, a Houthi military spokesman subsequently announced the militia “launched a batch of ballistic missiles at various sensitive targets of the Israeli entity … including military targets in the Umm al-Rashrash area (Eilat).
“The operation successfully achieved its objectives and led to direct casualties on the specified targets, despite the enemy’s secrecy about it,” claimed the spokesman.
Israel bolstered its naval presence in the Red Sea area last week following repeated missile and drone attacks from Yemen.
The IDF said that missile boats were deployed “in accordance with the assessment of the situation, and as part of the increased defense efforts in the region.”
On Oct. 31, the Arrow system for the first time intercepted a surface-to-surface missile fired from the Red Sea area.
A spokesperson for Yemen’s Ansar Allah, the official title of the Houthi movement, confirmed the terrorist group had fired ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as drones, at Israel.
On Wednesday night, separate Israeli and U.S. airstrikes in Syria targeted Iranian proxies.
The U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that Israel had struck Hezbollah facilities near Damascus, as well as a Syrian air defense site. Israeli officials did not confirm the attacks.
A Pentagon official told reporters that U.S. aircraft struck a weapons warehouse belonging to the IRGC in eastern Syria. The official said the strike triggered secondary explosions, suggesting the presence of weapons.
A Pentagon official told reporters that U.S. aircraft struck a weapons warehouse belonging to the IRGC in eastern Syria. The official said the strike triggered secondary explosions, suggesting the presence of weapons.
The attack marked the second time since Oct. 27 that the United States has struck assets belonging to Iran and its proxy forces. The strikes were prompted by rocket and drone attacks on American forces stationed in Syria and Iraq. According to the Pentagon, 45 U.S. personnel have been injured in those attacks.
Last week, Israeli warplanes struck several sites in southern Syria in response to earlier rocket fire on the Golan Heights.
The IDF said it struck the launchers responsible for the cross-border fire.
All of the projectiles launched from Syria landed in open areas, causing no injuries or damage.
Israeli airstrikes have repeatedly put Damascus and Aleppo airports out of service.
Israel has struck hundreds of targets in Syria in recent years as part of an effort to prevent Iranian military entrenchment in the country. However, Jerusalem rarely acknowledges these incidents.
Iran has in recent weeks boosted the presence of Shi’ite terror forces in Syria and also in Lebanon as backup for Hezbollah.
IDF spokespeople have consistently stated that Israel is closely monitoring developments to its north, northeast and east amid the war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
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