A drone reportedly struck Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence in Caesarea, located in southern Haifa. According to Israeli media reports, both Netanyahu and his wife were not at the location when the attack happened.
As GGI reported earlier, Hezbollah had set the target on Netanyahu’s home and could potentially destroy up to $150 billion worth of crucial Israeli infrastructure in the north of the country.
The drone, which flew undetected from Lebanon, managed to hit its target directly, causing damage and injuries. What’s even more alarming is that Israeli forces admitted their air defenses failed to stop the drone from breaching Israeli territory. Israeli media called this a significant failure, especially since the military had deployed a helicopter to search for the drone. Shockingly, the drone flew right beside the helicopter, yet went unnoticed before it struck Netanyahu’s residence.
Three drones were launched from Lebanon, according to the Israeli military. They intercepted two, but the third made it through and successfully hit Netanyahu’s home. Eyewitnesses reported a huge explosion when the drone made contact. Israeli media later confirmed that the drone flew about 70 kilometers from Lebanon to hit the Caesarea building, with debris even reaching nearby homes. The situation has raised serious concerns about the country’s security capabilities.
Alarm sirens were triggered in military bases in northern Tel Aviv when the drones entered Israeli airspace. However, in a surprising twist, residents of Tel Aviv were not notified through the usual mobile app that alerts citizens during emergencies. As a result, many people didn’t know about the attack in time to evacuate.
The Israeli army described the morning of the attack as one of the most difficult in recent times. The drone reportedly hovered in the sky for about an hour before it finally hit the target. Media outlets and military experts are now questioning the country’s air defense system, which failed to intercept Hezbollah’s drone attack.
One military correspondent from Israeli TV said Hezbollah appears to be developing more sophisticated methods for launching drones, making them harder for Israel’s defense systems to stop. Israeli Army Radio revealed that an official investigation is underway to understand why the air defenses didn’t stop the drone and why the warning systems failed to alert civilians in time.
The situation has created widespread panic and raised concerns about the safety of high-profile Israeli leaders. Roads near the site of the strike were immediately blocked off by police, preventing news outlets from getting too close. People in central Israel also experienced GPS disruptions, making it harder to navigate or communicate.
As the drone’s impact caused chaos, over a million Israeli settlers rushed to shelters, particularly in northern towns. Sirens could be heard throughout northern settlements, all the way to the city of Hod HaSharon.
Netanyahu’s office has remained silent on his exact location during the attack, refusing to say whether he was near Caesarea or elsewhere. Media speculation is swirling, but no official statement has been released.
This drone strike comes amid a period of intense conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. The Lebanese resistance group has vowed to increase its military operations in response to Israel’s attacks on Lebanon and its assault on Gaza. Hezbollah has been launching attacks on Israeli military bases and confronting soldiers at the northern border, escalating tensions across the region. The group recently announced it would step up its efforts in the coming days, promising more actions that could change the course of the conflict.
