The IDF said on Tuesday morning that it identified "an aerial target" approaching Israeli territory, triggering air raid sirens near the southern resort town of Eilat for the first time since the beginning of the war.
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According to the military, there was no threat to civilians. Loud explosions were heard in the area following the interception of a hostile aircraft before it entered Israeli airspace.
Eilat Mayor Eli Lankri told Ynet shortly after the siren sounded, "We are well acquainted with this threat. We've faced it several times in the past week, with successful interceptions. The city's defense systems have been significantly bolstered in recent days. The siren was activated because it was before the aircraft was handled, but now the situation is returning to normal."
Meanwhile, Hazam al-Assad, a member of the Supreme Political Council of the Houthi rebels in Yemen, hinted at the Iran-backed group's involvement in the attempted aircraft intrusion.
“Al-Jazeera quoted Israel, I liked the use of the word 'suspicion',” he wrote on his X account, followed by a laughing emoji.
Last weekend, al-Assad tweeted a single word: "Eilat." This tweet garnered global media attention and was perceived as a veiled threat that the rebels in Yemen, backed by Iran, might attempt to target Israel's southernmost settlement.
Last week, explosions were heard near Eilat, and it was later determined that a rocket had fallen in an open area near the town. No alarm was sounded as there was no perceived threat of the rocket hitting an inhabited area. Hamas claimed responsibility for firing the rocket toward the southern city.
Last week, the Air Force intercepted two missiles over the Red Sea. One of the missiles, shot down in the early morning hours, crashed in the Egyptian resort town of Taba on the Sinai Peninsula, near Eilat, injuring six people. Another missile fell in Nuweiba south of Taba. Two weeks ago, Yemeni Houthi rebels fired cruise missiles and drones that were intercepted by a U.S. warship and were intended for Israel.