TEL AVIV:  Early Friday, Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for a drone strike that hit central Tel Aviv near the U.S. Embassy, resulting in one fatality and ten injuries.

The attack caused widespread chaos, with shrapnel and glass scattered over a large area. The Houthis, in solidarity with the Palestinian people amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, have previously launched drones and missiles toward Israel. However, until now, these attempts had been intercepted by Israel or its Western allies in the region.

In a statement on social media, Houthi spokesperson Yahya Sare’e said the attack was a retaliation for the ongoing war, claiming it targeted one of several strategic locations.

The Houthis allege their new drones can evade Israel’s aerial defense systems. Despite this, an Israeli military official cited "human error" for the drone's success, noting that the drone had been detected on Thursday. The military reassured that their threat assessment remains unchanged, as such strikes have been attempted for months.

Local police reported the explosion at approximately 3:10 a.m., which was felt in nearby cities. Tel Aviv District Commander Peretz Amar indicated that the blast likely occurred mid-air, as officers could not find a specific impact point. The military is still investigating whether the drone, or its debris, struck any buildings.

The blast shattered windows of multiple buildings and damaged cars near the coastline. Crowds quickly gathered at the scene, with police helicopters monitoring the area from above.

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