A drone fired by the Houthis in Yemen hit a building in Tel Aviv near the US Consulate early Friday morning, killing Yevgeny Perder and injuring 10 others. The Israel Defense Forces has attributed the failure to shoot down a drone to human error. According to the IDF, the drone was detected at some point during its trajectory but was not consistently tracked due to multiple layers of radar surveillance, both on the ground and from aircraft.
The military explained that radar systems from different sectors track various airspaces, making it possible that the drone was detected in one industry but not continuously monitored. Although the IDF identified the drone as a potential threat, a human error led to it not being flagged as such. Consequently, no warnings were issued, and air defense systems were not activated to intercept it.
Despite the human error, the IDF’s tracking at some point confirms that the airspace is now secure. The army has deployed a full complement of aircraft and air defense systems to ensure continued safety.
Initial assessments indicate that the drone made a direct hit on the apartment building rather than detonating overhead. The drone was identified as a large-scale, long-range model, with preliminary footage suggesting it approached from the south, possibly over the water.
Thorough investigation underway
The IDF is still conducting a thorough investigation to trace the drone's complete flight path.
N12 said Perder lived in an apartment in a building where he performed maintenance work between Shalom Aleichem and Ben Yehuda streets in Tel Aviv.
Perder was asleep at the time of the explosion, according to Maariv. His room, located toward the top of the building, was hit and he was hit by shrapnel.