Yossi Benayoun, former Liverpool midfielder, has survived a grenade attack on his home in Israel. The 44-year-old, who also had stints at West Ham and Chelsea, was at home with his family when the incident occurred.
Reports suggest that the attack took place near Tel Aviv when an individual on a motorbike threw a grenade through the door. Fortunately, there were no serious injuries, though the explosion caused some minor damage.
Benayoun, who captained Israel during his playing career, believes the attack was a case of mistaken identity. He suspects that the grenade was intended for a different target. “This is definitely a mistake – I have no doubt that the grenade was not aimed at my house,” he said.
The former Israel captain initially thought it was a gas cylinder explosion and contacted the fire department. However, when police arrived at the scene, they discovered the remains of a grenade, revealing the true nature of the incident.
Benayoun, who also had memorable stints with Arsenal and Queens Park Rangers, was recently involved in Liverpool’s Legends game at Anfield, where he played alongside Steven Gerrard.
During his career, Benayoun made over 200 Premier League appearances, playing for West Ham, Liverpool, Chelsea, and others. At Liverpool, he made 92 appearances between 2007 and 2010 before moving to Chelsea, where he won the Europa League. He also spent time on loan at Arsenal and returned to West Ham before finishing his career at QPR.
The attack took place on Sunday night, and police are currently investigating the incident. A police statement confirmed, “The police hotline received a report of hearing an explosion outside a house. 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.”
