Israeli aerial defenses intercepted an unmanned aerial vehicle launched from Iraq toward Eilat, the army said.
“The Israel Air Force successfully intercepted a UAV that approached Israel over the Red Sea. The UAV did not cross into Israeli territory,” the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said on Wednesday.
Iran-backed militias in Iraq claimed responsibility for the attack, saying the target was a “vital target” in Eilat.
The incident, the latest attempt to hit the Israeli port city in recent months, comes amid tense anticipation of Israel’s retaliation for Iran’s launching of more than 180 ballistic missiles into Israel on Oct. 1.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels have also launched rockets into Israel in recent months, as well as disrupting shipping lines in the Red Sea, prompting retaliatory strikes by Israel, the United States and United Kingdom.
In November, a UAV launched from Syria hit a school in Eilat, resulting in no casualties. In April, a UAV launched from Iraq hit an Israeli navy base in the city, resulting in minor damage and no casualties.
