After the targeting of Eilat .. Netanyahu threatens the Houthis with a harsh military response

In a serious development on the front of regional tensions, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened the Houthi group in Yemen with a "harsh and painful strike" after a drone fell targeting a tourist area in the city of Eilat in southern Israel, resulting in the injury of 22 people, including critical cases.

In an official statement issued by Netanyahu's office yesterday evening, it was stated that the Prime Minister had a phone call with the mayor of Eilat, Eli Lankri, where he expressed his full solidarity with the city's residents, praising their resilience, and confirming that "any attack targeting Israeli cities will be met with a strict and painful response to those he described as the 'Houthi terror regime,'" adding that "this is what past experience has proven."

The statement also clarified that Netanyahu discussed with the top leadership of the Israeli army ways to enhance defensive responses to the escalating aerial threats, especially in southern areas like Eilat, which is considered a major tourist destination.

For his part, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz escalated his rhetoric, stating that "the Houthis refuse to learn from the lessons of Iran, Lebanon, and Gaza, and they will learn the hard way."

He added in a statement on Wednesday evening: "Whoever attacks Israel will be harmed seven times."

According to security sources, the drone that fell in Eilat was launched from Yemeni territory, in a precedent that shows a notable escalation in the Houthis' capabilities to target the Israeli depth from long distances, which complicates the security scene in the region and presents new challenges to Israeli air defense systems.

This attack comes at a time when tensions are escalating on several fronts, as observers see that the connection between the Houthis and the Iranian regional axis enhances the likelihood of harsher Israeli reactions in the coming days, especially if attacks on civilian areas are repeated.