Israel downs two suicide drones heading toward Eilat

Israel intercepted two suicide drones heading toward Eilat late Monday night, which triggered alarms in the Red Sea resort town.

The Israel Defense Forces said shortly after midnight that a fighter jet, together with air-defense fighters downed two UAVs “that made their way to the territory of the country from the east,” stressing that the drones did not cross into Israeli territory.

There were no casualties during the incident.

Residents of Eilat reportedly heard loud explosions when the explosives-laden drones were shot down. Video circulating on social media appeared to show one of the interceptions.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for the attack. The umbrella group of Iranian-backed radical Shi’ite militias said in a statement that it launched three drones at IDF positions in Eilat in support of Palestinians in Gaza, also releasing a video purportedly showing the launch of the drones.

The group has claimed dozens of drone attacks since Hamas started the war when it led an invasion of the northwestern Negev on Oct. 7. Most of the drones have been intercepted, but at least one scored a direct hit on an Israeli Navy base in Eilat in April, causing damage.