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Eilat elementary school hit in possible drone attack
Reports that the drone may have been Iranian made
The southern Israeli city of Eilat was rattled on Thursday afternoon when an unmanned aircraft crashed near the Tze'elim Elementary School, resulting in a loud explosion.
Israel Police swiftly responded to the situation, including sending bomb disposal units to investigate, leading to the closure of several roads in the area. Local residents were advised to steer clear of the crash site while authorities assessed the situation.
Chief Superintendent of the Eilat Region, Moshe Karadi, assured the public that the security forces had the situation under control. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that it was indeed an unmanned aircraft (UAV) that struck the civilian building. However, they have yet to verify the origin of the UAV, leaving questions about whether it was an Israeli drone or not.
In a statement, the IDF said, "A short while ago, a UAV hit a civilian building in the city of Eilat, in southern Israel. The identity of the UAV and the details of the incident are under review."
This incident occurred while approximately 37 kindergarten students and six communication students were present in the lower building. They were quickly evacuated to a bomb shelter, and with approval from the Home Front Command, the students were later reunited with their parents.
In response to the security incident, Eilat Mayor Eli Lankri took precautionary measures, ordering the cancellation of all after-school activities within the city for the day. Eilat, which had experienced relative calm following the IDF's response to the Hamas attacks on October 7, found itself in the spotlight after being targeted by long-range missile and drone attacks from Yemen's Houthi rebels just last week.
The incident underscores the ongoing challenges faced by the region as security forces remain vigilant and committed to ensuring the safety of its residents. Investigations into the nature of the UAV and the circumstances surrounding the crash are ongoing.