Blast in Tel Aviv kills at least one in possible drone attack, Israeli officials say

An explosion near the US Embassy branch office in Tel Aviv that killed at least one person early Friday is being investigated as a possible drone attack, according to Israeli authorities.

The blast, which occurred in a central district home to a number of diplomatic missions, killed a 50-year-old man and injured at least eight others, Israel’s Magen David Adom (MDA) emergency service said. Four people sustained shrapnel wounds, it added.

The Israel Defense Forces said it is looking into reports that it was an aerial attack, possibly from a drone. Police officers and bomb disposal experts are on the scene, according to Israeli police.

Emergency crews responded to an “an object” that had exploded on Shalom Aleichem Street, the MDA said.

“The dead man had suffered penetrating injuries,” MDA paramedic Roi Klein said.

Police urged local residents “not to touch any rocket remnants that may contain explosives.”

“Following the incident of an explosion in the Tel Aviv area, large police forces have arrived at the scene and are working to secure the area and conduct searches for suspicious objects and additional threats,” the Israeli Police spokesperson’s unit said.

This is a developing story and will be updated.