Hamas fires two rockets at Tel Aviv and Israel bombs 100 Hamas targets in Gaza
The attack on Tel Aviv appears to have been done by low level Hamas members without sanction. Hamas leadership called off Friday prayers in an attempt to contain the situation. That is an unusual response from Hamas.
Israel will investigate why the Iron Dome failed to intercept the initial 2 rockets. Improvements to the system will be made.The Israeli military said that it struck more than 100 targets in Gaza overnight Friday after two rockets were fired toward Tel Aviv, escalating tension less than a month before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces reelection.
Residents reported hearing explosions, but there were no reports of injuries or damage. The military said neither rocket was intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome military defense system, though warning systems had operated as required.
The Israeli military said it believed Hamas was responsible. Israeli media reported that their initial assessment was that the group launched the rockets by mistake.
One rocket probably fell into the sea, Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai told Israeli television. He said he had instructed the city to open all bomb shelters, but life appeared to be returning to normal shortly after the incident.
While rocket launches from Gaza are not unusual, it was the first time in more than four years that they have targeted the major city of Tel Aviv. Israel and Hamas fought a 50-day conflict in the summer of 2014.
Netanyahu called an emergency meeting with top security officials, after which Israel mounted its response.
In the early hours of Friday morning the Israeli military said it was targeting “terror sites” in the Gaza Strip, striking around 100 military sites belonging to Hamas, including the main site used to manufacture standard grade rockets.
Seven more rocket launches followed, six of which were intercepted by the Iron Dome.
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by MMC
