Yossi Benayoun, who played in the Premier League from 2005 to 2014, was at home with his family in Israel when a grenade was launched through their door and caused an explosion
Former Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea star Yossi Benayoun has survived a terrifying grenade attack on his home in Israel. Benayoun, 44, and his family were inside the house at the time of the attack at around 11pm on Sunday.
An individual riding a motorbike is said to have pulled up and launched a device through the door. No one was seriously hurt from the resulting explosion and the blast caused minor damage to the entrance, according to reports in Israel.
Emergency services including police and fire crews rushed to Beyanoun’s home in Ramat Hasharon, an affluent city situated just north of the city of Tel Aviv. An investigation is now underway.
“The police hotline received a report of hearing an explosion outside a house,” a police spokesperson said. “Police from the Glilot station arrived at the scene and began an investigation. As a result of the explosion, damage was caused. There were no casualties.”
It’s been reported that the attack is being treated as a criminal matter rather than a terrorist incident, with Israel continuing to fight in the long-running Gaza war. Benayoun believes that the attack was a case of mistaken identity and that the grenade wasn’t intended to harm his family.
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“This is definitely a mistake – I have no doubt that the grenade was not aimed at my house,” the ex-Premier League midfielder said. “At first I thought it was a gas cylinder explosion and we called the fire department.
“It was only when the police arrived at the house and found the remains of a grenade that we realised what really happened.”
Benayoun, who retired from football in 2019, has five children with his wife, Mirit Ben Yosef. The 44-year-old made 194 appearances in the Premier League, having also played for West Ham and Queens Park Rangers.
Benayoun took part in a legends charity match at Anfield last month. He played for Liverpool against former club Chelsea.
In October 2023, shortly after Hamas’ attack on Israel, Benayoun made headlines when he criticised the English FA for refusing to light up Wembley’s arch in the colours of the Israeli flag. He told the Telegraph: “Our people have been through so much over the years, and after the Holocaust, the world promised ‘Never again!’
“But as you know it has been 80 years since, and now a brutal massacre in the same shocking inhumane way is taking place. What occurred here was a horrendous massacre that took the lives of over 1,300, in an awful way, whole families tortured, abused, raped with unimaginable cruelty, pure evil.
“Acts we can’t even comprehend which we should never stay silent against.”
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