Israel’s government reported that a drone targeted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence in Caesarea on Saturday, though no casualties were reported.
The attack comes amid continued fighting with Lebanon-based Hezbollah and Gaza-based Hamas, following the recent killing of the Hamas mastermind behind last year’s October 7 attack.
While the drone’s origin and whether it was intercepted remain unclear, neither Netanyahu nor his wife were at the residence during the attempted strike. This marks the second attack aimed at Netanyahu in recent months; in September, Yemen’s Houthi rebels launched a missile at Ben Gurion Airport as Netanyahu’s plane was landing, though it was intercepted.
Though Hezbollah did not claim responsibility for the drone attack, the group launched multiple rocket strikes on Israel, intensifying the conflict. In response, Israel conducted at least 10 airstrikes on Hezbollah strongholds in Beirut’s Dahiyeh suburb, while its military also targeted Hezbollah positions.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin expressed relief that Netanyahu was safe during a call with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, as the two discussed regional security concerns, including the recent deployment of the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense system.
Meanwhile, in Gaza, Hamas officials reported that 73 people were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a residential building in Beit Lahiya, though the Israeli military is investigating and has suggested that the casualty figures might be exaggerated. Additionally, more than 50 people were reported killed in Israeli strikes on northern Gaza hospitals, according to local hospital officials and the Associated Press.