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Israel defense minister says country will 'settle the score' after Houthi drone attack on Tel Aviv

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Israel defense minister says country will 'settle the score' after Houthi drone attack on Tel Aviv

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Israel’s defense minister struck an ominous tone Friday after an Iranian-made drone fired by Houthi rebels in Yemen struck Tel Aviv, telling Israeli media that Jerusalem would “settle the score.”

“I held an operational situation assessment this morning to review the steps required to strengthen our defense arrays in light of events overnight, as well as the intelligence and operational activities required against those responsible for the attack,” Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant said in a statement.

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“The year 2024 is marked by war. We must be prepared for every scenario and every arena.”

Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant sits with defense officials after a Yemen-based Houthi drone strike on Tel Aviv July 19, 2024.  (Itay Kedem/Israeli Mod)

DEADLY EXPLOSION IN TEL AVIV LEAVES ONE DEAD, MORE WOUNDED

The attack, which killed at least one and injured 10, has prompted questions about how it could have hit the coastal city given Israel’s significant air defenses. 

Despite the precarious security situation Israel has found itself in during its war in Gaza against Hamas, few drones launched by Houthi militants in Yemen have even been able to make contact with Israel’s most southern city on the Red Sea, Eilat, which is some 160 miles south of Tel Aviv.

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A pedestrian looks at damage to apartment windows following a drone strike near the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel, Friday, July 19, 2024. (Kobi Wolf/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The strike Friday morning meant the drone was able to successfully cross Israeli borders and avoid a series of aerial defenses as it traveled over more than half the length of the country before hitting Tel Aviv. 

YEMEN’S HOUTHI REBELS USE MISSILES, DRONES TO ATTACK 2 MORE SHIPS IN RED SEA

Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, a spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces, said an “error” had occurred and though the unmanned aerial vehicle was detected, “there was no interception” to stop the attack.

“We are investigating the entire chain,” he said.

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Another military spokesperson told The Associated Press the incident was a “human error.”

Israeli police investigate an explosive drone attack in Tel Aviv, Israel, Friday, July 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)

“We will continue to do everything we can to protect Israel’s people and borders,” Hagari said. “Iran is funding, arming and directing its terror proxies in their attacks on Israel and the wider world. We will not allow Iran and its proxies to terrorize our civilians.”

Gallant said Israel was working to “reinforce all defense mechanisms and will bring to justice anyone who harms the State of Israel.”

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Fact check: Did French border guards mock influencers returning from Dubai amid Iran war?

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Social media posts have showed French border guards stationed in airport arrivals with signs that appear to read, “to all the influencers and other people in tax havens such as Dubai, the tax authorities wish you a smooth return to France”. But is this real?

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Exclusive: Article Five not on the table despite Iran missile incident, NATO's Rutte says

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Exclusive: Article Five not on the table despite Iran missile incident, NATO's Rutte says
NATO is vigilant about events in the Middle East and ​the shooting-down of a missile ‌headed for Turkish airspace on Wednesday, but invoking Article Five is not on ​the table right now, the ​military alliance’s chief Mark Rutte told ⁠Reuters on Thursday.
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Iran continues firing missiles, drones at neighboring states, with multiple interceptions reported

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Iran continues firing missiles, drones at neighboring states, with multiple interceptions reported

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Iran launched a new wave of attacks on Thursday, with explosions reported in the region and Tehran threatening that the U.S. would “bitterly regret” sinking an Iranian warship.

Iran’s strikes on Thursday targeted Israel, American bases and countries in the region. Israel announced multiple incoming missile attacks as air raid sirens blared in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Defense on Thursday said Iran used unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in an attack on Nakhchivan International Airport and other civilian infrastructure. The ministry said the details of the attack and the capabilities of the UAVs were being investigated.

“The Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan strongly condemns the attacks carried out by the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran against civilian infrastructure on the territory of Azerbaijan in the absence of any military necessity. The Islamic Republic of Iran bears the entire responsibility for the incident,” the ministry’s statement read.

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Explosions seen and heard in Azerbaijan as Iran launches retaliatory attacks across the Middle East. (East2West)

Iran has not acknowledged targeting Azerbaijan, despite the country’s ministry of defense pointing the finger at Tehran.

Qatar evacuated residents near the U.S. Embassy in Doha on Thursday, with its Ministry of Defense confirming that the country was “subjected to a missile attack” and that its air defense systems were able to intercept it. The ministry urged the public to remain calm and avoid unofficial information.

Abu Dhabi announced that its authorities were responding to an incident involving falling debris in ICAD 2, which is part of the Industrial City of Abu Dhabi. Six people, identified by Abu Dhabi as Pakistani and Nepali nationals, suffered minor to moderate injuries.

A plume of smoke rises over buildings in Doha, Qatar, on March 5, 2026. (Mahmud Hams/AFP via Getty Images)

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FORMER TOPGUN PILOT DECLARES IRAN MILITARY ‘OVER WITH’ AMID US AIR SUPERIORITY, BUT WARNS OF ANOTHER DANGER

Iran has carried out retaliatory strikes since the launch of Operation Epic Fury, with the latest wave coming one day after the U.S. sunk an Iranian warship, killing at least 87 Iranian sailors. Sri Lankan navy spokesman Cmdr. Buddhika Sampath said 32 people were rescued from the wreck and were admitted to a hospital.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth defended the move during a news briefing at the Pentagon.

“An American submarine sunk an Iranian warship that thought it was safe in international waters. Instead, it was sunk by a torpedo — Quiet Death. The first sinking of an enemy ship by a torpedo since World War II. Like in that war, back when we were still the War Department, we are fighting to win,” Hegseth said.

Missile interceptions are seen in the sky on March 5, 2026, in Central Israel. (Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images)

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ISRAEL’S MILITARY RELEASES VIDEO SHOWING OBLITERATION OF IRAN’S MISSILE LAUNCHERS, DEFENSE SYSTEMS

Iranian leaders condemned the attack, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accusing the U.S. Navy of committing “an atrocity at sea.” Meanwhile, Ayatollah Abdollah Javadi Amoli appeared on state television and called for the shedding of Israeli and “Trump’s blood.”

“Fight the oppressive America, his blood is on my shoulders,” he said in a rare call for violence from an ayatollah, one of the highest ranks within the clergy of Shiite Islam.

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The U.S. and Israel launched the war on Saturday with strikes targeting Iran’s leadership, including the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed. Iran’s missile arsenal and nuclear facilities were also hit.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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