Key Points

Israel's national ambulance service, Magen David Adom, on Wednesday evening (local time) said that the two badly wounded victims, both in their 60s, suffered severe limb injuries. Another man was moderately injured when shrapnel hit his upper body, while the remaining casualties sustained lighter wounds, mostly from shrapnel and bruising.

The drone exploded in the city centre, in a tourist district near the Club Hotel, a large beachfront complex, according to Kan, the state-owned broadcaster. Kan also reported that Israel's air defence system attempted twice to intercept the drone but failed.

The strike came during Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, when Eilat is typically crowded with Israeli vacationers, reports Xinhua news agency.

The Houthis, who control much of northern Yemen, have repeatedly targeted Eilat with drones and missiles since Israel's war in Gaza began. Last week, a drone struck the entrance to a hotel in the city, causing property damage but no injuries.

Yemen's Houthi group, in a statement on Wednesday night, claimed responsibility for a drone attack.

Yahya Sarea, the Houthis' military spokesman, said in a statement on X that the group fired two drones before sunset, targeting a location in Eilat.

He added that the operation was the second of its kind in less than 24 hours after the group launched multiple drones targeting Eilat and the city of Beer Sheva on Tuesday.

Israel has responded with airstrikes on Houthi-controlled Yemen, most recently last week, against military infrastructure at the port of Hodeida. Last month, an Israeli strike on the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, killed the Houthi government's prime minister and several other senior officials. Israel described that strike as the start of a broader campaign against the group's leadership.

- IANS