Palestinian Islamists launched a barrage of rockets from the Gaza Strip toward Israel’s southern communities.
Following several weeks of relative quiet on Israel’s southern front, rocket-alert sirens were sounded yesterday in the communities of Nahal Oz, Sa’ad and Kfar Aza.
The IDF Spokesperson’s unit confirmed to TV7 that “four projectiles” were fired from the Hamas-controlled enclave toward Israeli territory. Two of the incoming rockets were intercepted by the Iron Dome Aerial Defense System, while the remainder exploded in uninhabited areas.
In a retaliatory response to the indiscriminate rocket-fire, Israeli Air Force fighter jets struck a number of Hamas installations in the northern Gaza Strip. The Israeli military said that among the targets destroyed were “a weapons manufacturing site and a military compound.” It further underscored that “the IDF views the fire directed at Israel with great severity” and vowed to “continue operating as necessary against attempts to harm Israeli civilians.”
And while the rocket-fire was attributed to rogue Palestinian Islamists, the IDF reiterated to TV7 that “the Hamas terror organization is responsible for all events transpiring in the Gaza Strip and emanating from it, and will bear the consequences for its actions against Israeli civilians.”
Subsequently, Palestinian sources reported that damage was cause to civilian buildings in the Gaza Strip, as a result of the Israeli bombardment. TV7 was not able to corroborate such claims.
Meanwhile Palestinian Islamists unleashed a cluster of balloons rigged with explosive devices from the Gaza Strip toward Israeli territory. Security forces identified the sailing object, which ultimately landed in the southern city of Sderot. Police forces immediately closed-off the area, and sappers managed to defuse the improvised bomb. No injuries or damage were reported. In the event that a suspicious object is detected, police urge the public – both Israelis and tourists alike – to immediately call Israel’s emergency phone number 100.