Israeli military says unidentified drone hits southern city of Eilat

JERUSALEM, Nov 9 (Reuters) - An unidentified drone hit a civilian building in the southern Israeli port city of Eilat, the Israeli military said on Thursday, causing only light damage and no injuries.

In recent weeks, the Iran-aligned Houthi movement in Yemen has launched repeated missile and drone attacks on Israel, but all were either shot down or fell short.

"The identity of the UAV and the details of the incident are under review," the military said in a statement, referring to an unmanned aerial vehicle.

The Houthis are part of the Iran-aligned regional alliance, which also includes Lebanon's Hezbollah, that has backed Hamas in its conflict with Israel.

The Houthis govern swathes of Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, more than a thousand miles from Israel.

Israel has boosted its naval presence in the Red Sea to better protect its southern shores, while the United States also has a significant amount of naval power in the region.

Eilat is the Israel's main commercial gateway through the Red Sea.

Israeli waters are considered a high risk zone by marine insurers and every ship is required to pay an additional war risk premium, which is typically renewed every seven days.

Such premiums have soared 10-fold in recent weeks, adding tens of thousands of dollars to every voyage, industry sources say. And this means higher freight costs.