Heavy Explosion Reported in Addis Ababa Amid Escalating Northern Ethiopia Conflict

Residents in various parts of Addis Ababa, including Gotera and Bethel, reported hearing a powerful explosion late Wednesday night after midnight. The sound was so strong that it shook buildings and set off car alarms, according to eyewitnesses speaking to the media. The incidence occurred shortly after the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) announced an indefinite ban on flying any unauthorized drones in and around the capital. Military and police officials declined to comment or give official details regarding the reported blast. Simultaneously, military tensions and clashes have resurfaced in Northern Ethiopia, with local authorities in the Afar region claiming Eritrean forces crossed the border to join ongoing fighting. Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel denied these claims, calling them false allegations, while the Ethiopian Federal Government has not issued an official response regarding the military movements.