Daijiworld Media Network - Jerusalem

Jerusalem, Oct 6: Tensions in the Middle East continue to escalate as Yemen's Houthi forces launched a second aerial attack on Israel’s southern city of Eilat late Sunday, according to the Israeli military. The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), reportedly fired from Yemen, was “likely intercepted” by the Israel Air Force (IAF), the military confirmed.

The air raid sirens in Eilat were triggered due to potential falling debris from the interception. No casualties or significant damage have been reported so far. Israeli police are currently sweeping the area to ensure public safety.

“There was an attempted hostile aircraft infiltration in the Eilat area. A UAV launched from Yemen was likely intercepted,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement, adding that the alert system had responded appropriately to the threat.

Earlier the same day, Houthi forces also launched a missile toward central Israel, claiming it targeted unspecified “sensitive sites.” The missile was intercepted by Israeli air defenses before it could cause harm.

There has been no official comment from the Houthis regarding the Eilat incident as of yet.

This wave of attacks follows a previously claimed strike by the Houthis on September 26, when the group said it had fired a hypersonic ballistic missile at a “sensitive target” near Jaffa in southern Tel Aviv. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea stated at the time that the missile temporarily grounded air traffic at Ben Gurion Airport and sent thousands into bomb shelters.

Sarea justified the attack as a response to what he described as “Israeli aggression” in the Gaza Strip and retaliatory airstrikes on Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, by Israeli forces.

While Israel has remained focused on its direct conflict with Hamas and Gaza, the Houthi attacks — launched from more than 1,800 km away — mark a worrying expansion of the regional front. The growing involvement of Iranian-backed groups like the Houthis adds complexity to an already volatile security environment.

The recent barrage underscores the increasing strategic reach of Houthi capabilities and highlights concerns that Israel could be drawn into a wider regional conflict involving multiple fronts.