Apartment building in central Israel hit by Yemeni drone

The IDF confirmed this morning that a drone strike on a residential building in the southern city of Yavne was launched from Yemen.

The attack caused significant damage to several apartments but resulted in no casualties.

According to the IDF, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), suspected to have crossed into Israeli airspace from Yemen, struck the balcony of an apartment on the top floor of a 15-story high-rise.

The Israeli military is investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident, including the failure to activate air defence sirens, which typically warn residents of incoming threats.

Magen David Adom, Israel's national emergency service, reported that paramedics conducted thorough searches within the building to ensure there were no injured civilians.

The mayor of Yavne, Roei Gabay, told the Ynet that nobody was home when the drone hit the balcony of an apartment on the top floor.

“There is a lot of panic in the area, and we are stopping the curious from reaching the scene,” he said.

The IDF has announced they will to continue its investigation into the attack, as it remains unclear why standard protective measures were not activated.

In recent months, drone attacks on Israeli targets have become increasingly frequent. In July, a drone fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels reached Tel Aviv.

Earlier in October, the IDF reported that a drone launched from Iraq killed two Israeli soldiers in the Golan Heights. While another drone strike targeted a nursing home in central Israel.