Tel Aviv Hit By Drone, Defense Minister Gallant: Israel Will Solve Problems With Anyone Trying To Hurt

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant held a meeting to discuss drone attacks in Tel Aviv. (Twitter/@yoavgallant)

JAKARTA - Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Israel would resolve the issue with anyone trying to hurt him after a drone hit a building in Tel Aviv that caused casualties and injuries.

Defense Minister Gallant said Israel would give a response after conducting an assessment with Israeli officials Defense Forces (IDF) of the drone claimed by the Houthi militia group.

"The Ministry of Defense is working to immediately strengthen all defense systems, and will resolve the issue with anyone who endangers the State of Israel or directs terror against it," he said, in a statement given by his office.

Defense Minister Gallant discussed the attack with IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, Chief Directorate of Operations Major General Oded Basiuk, Head of Intelligence Directorate Major General Aharon HaIVA, Chief of Staff of the Israeli Air Force Brigadier General Omer Tischler and Head of the Intelligence Directorate Research Division Brigadier General Ofir Mizrahi Rosen.

New footage shows the Houthi drone attack on Tel Aviv early this morning. pic.twitter.com/aEuF8cjIwU

— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) July 19, 2024

New footage shows the Houthi drone attack on Tel Aviv early this morning. pic.twitter.com/aEuF8cjIwu

A large long-range drone reportedly hit a building in Tel Aviv and killed one person in the early hours of Friday local time.

The attack did not trigger an airstrike alarm. It came hours after the Israeli military confirmed it had killed a senior commander of Iran-backed Hezbollah militia in southern Lebanon.

A Houthi militant spokesman said the group had attacked Tel Aviv by drone and would continue to target Israel as a form of solidarity with Palestine in the Gaza war.

In a televised address, Houthi spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree called Tel Aviv the main target "within our arms reach".

"The operation has achieved its goals successfully," Brigadier General Saree said.

Separately, IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Allahhi said at a press conference, the military expected a drone full of explosives hitting Tel Aviv last night to be launched by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis.

After reaching Israel from Yemen, the drone headed for Tel Aviv from the sea, he said.

Laksda Badminton said the drone was an Iranian-made Samad-3, which had been modified to have a longer reach.

He said dozens of drones had been launched into Israel from Yemen amid an ongoing war, mostly shot down by US troops and others by Israeli fighter jets.

Laksda kolis menambahkan, militer akan melakukan penilaian atas serangan tersebut dalam beberapa hari mendatang untuk memahami apa yang perlu disesuaikan agar dapat bertahan diri lebih baik, dan "responsif atensif apa yang diperlukan untuk melawan mereka yang mengancam Israel."