Israel Strikes Hamas Targets after Gaza Rocket Fire

Arab World

January 31st, 8:00am

Asharq Al-Awsat

Palestinians sit atop the ruins of their house which witnesses said was destroyed during the Israeli offensive, in the east of Gaza City September 3, 2014. REUTERS/Suhaib Salem

Israeli aircraft struck Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip early Friday in response to new rocket fire from the Palestinian enclave, the army said. Three rockets were fired at Israel overnight without causing any casualties. Two were intercepted by air defenses, a statement said. Israel swiftly retaliated against Hamas, which rules the coastal territory and which Israel generally holds responsible for all rocket fire from the territory, regardless of who launches it. The military struck "Hamas targets in the south of the Gaza Strip", the army said. Israel has deployed additional troops to the Gaza border area since US President Donald Trump unveiled a controversial new peace plan on Tuesday that was angrily rejected by the Palestinians. One rocket was fired from Gaza on Wednesday evening, again drawing retaliatory strikes against Hamas targets in the south of Gaza. Israel in November assassinated a senior leader of the Islamic Jihad in Gaza, sparking a flare-up in which 36 Palestinians were killed. No Israelis died. Over two days, Islamic Jihad fired some 450 rockets towards Israel. But Gaza has been relatively calm in recent months as Egyptian and UN mediators have worked to shore up an informal truce between Israel and Hamas.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/2108201/israel-strikes-hamas-targets-after-gaza-rocket-fire