Twenty-two people were injured Wednesday evening when a Houthi-launched drone struck the southern Israeli resort city of Eilat, sending residents and tourists scrambling for cover and prompting emergency responses across the city.
Magen David Adom medics treated casualties at the scene and evacuated them to hospital, including two people in serious condition who were taken to Yoseftal Medical Center, the emergency service said. Video shared online showed panicked crowds and air-raid sirens as the unmanned aerial vehicle impacted near a busy shopping area beside Eilat’s main boardwalk.
Breaking: There has been an attack from Yemen on a hotel / tourist area in the southern Israeli city of Eilat. A dozen injured, with a couple in serious condition.
Do not expect much reporting of this at all. The media are all too busy celebrating ‘Palestine’. pic.twitter.com/qeT1RmOs4h
— David Collier (@mishtal) September 24, 2025
The Israel Defense Forces said search-and-rescue teams were operating at the impact site. The Israel Police warned people to avoid the crash site and not to touch any debris, which may contain explosives, and urged continued adherence to Home Front Command safety guidelines.
Military sources confirmed that Israeli air defenses fired two Iron Dome interceptors at the incoming drone but were unable to shoot it down. The Israel Air Force has opened an investigation into the failed interceptions, the IDF said.
On the Jewish New Year, the Iran-backed Houthi terror regime launched an attack drone from Yemen at the city of Eilat. Civilians were injured, some seriously.
The Houthis deliberately target civilians – this is pure terrorism, nothing else. pic.twitter.com/6n6PMgJTQ2
— Israel ישראל (@Israel) September 24, 2025
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on Wednesday night with Eilat Mayor Eli Lankari to reassure residents and coordinate a response. Netanyahu wished the injured a speedy recovery and vowed that attacks on Israeli cities would be met with a forceful reply against the Houthi terror apparatus in Yemen. He said he had consulted with senior IDF commanders on ways to strengthen the city’s aerial defenses.
President Isaac Herzog also phoned the mayor to express solidarity with the city and its visitors, emphasizing Eilat’s importance as both a security asset and a tourism hub. “It is important to do everything necessary to support residents, preserve daily life and resilience, and encourage visits and recreation in the city,” Herzog said.
Defense Minister Israel Katz labeled the Houthis “terrorists” and promised fierce retaliation. Katz said the group has refused to learn lessons from other theaters—referring implicitly to Iranian and Hezbollah setbacks—and warned that those who strike Israel “will be struck back sevenfold.” Katz reiterated comments from recent weeks linking Israel’s operations to a broader campaign against Houthi leadership; Jerusalem has in recent months carried out strikes that Israel says targeted Houthi leaders and infrastructure.
From attacking international trade routes to targeting Israeli civilians in airstrikes, the Houthis live by their dangerous slogan.
The IDF will continue to operate to dismantle this threat from across the Middle East. pic.twitter.com/mm2Wh2MUhh
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) May 7, 2025
Israeli forces have publicly accused the Iran-aligned Houthi movement in Yemen of mounting cross-border aerial attacks and of operating as part of a wider axis of hostility against Israel. Jerusalem has conducted several operations against Houthi targets, most recently a strike in late August that Israeli officials said killed senior Houthi figures.
The incident in Eilat came as the city is in high season for tourism, intensifying concerns about the impact of regional escalation on civilian life and the economy. Local emergency teams quickly established a perimeter around the impact zone and set up triage and evacuation routes. Hospitals in the area reported they were treating multiple wounded but were not overwhelmed.
Want more news from Israel?
Click Here to sign up for our FREE daily email updates
