Israel’s military struck the Gaza Strip early Saturday morning, hours after two rockets were fired at Israel from the Palestinian enclave.
The army said it targeted an underground Hamas facility for the production of rocket materials in the central Gaza Strip. Palestinians reported several strikes near Gaza City shortly before 5 a.m. Videos and photos posted on social media showed large fireballs rising from strikes on unidentified targets.
The army said that “the target site was one of the largest and most important sites in the sector where terrorist groups manufacture basic materials for missiles”, stressing that the attack would have a major impact on the missile industry.
The military regularly holds Hamas responsible for any attacks from Gaza.
At the same time, two more rockets were fired at Israel, while sirens sounded in the Lachish Regional Council, northeast of the Strip. Both missiles hit open areas.
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Earlier, two rockets were fired at Israel from Gaza. According to the Israeli army, one of the rockets was intercepted by the Iron Dome defense system, while the other landed in an open area without causing any damage.
None of the Palestinian factions in Gaza said they had fired rockets shortly after midnight on Saturday.
Video | Press release: “At the time when the occupation aircraft bombed the Al-Baydar site southwest of Gaza City.” pic.twitter.com/MboiUllMVB
Quds News Network (qudsn) July 16, 2022
Sirens could be heard from the southern port city of Ashkelon, prompting local residents to go to shelters. Magen David Adom Ambulance Service said there were no reports of injuries after the missile attack, but two people were treated.
Footage posted on social media purportedly shows the moment Iron Dome intercepted one of the missiles.
Alarm in Ashkelon, red in the Gaza Strip. In the sky of Ashkelon there is an interceptionEmbedding a tweet
(Photo: Eddie Israel) pic.twitter.com/MSJ5b63mdf– News here (@kann_news) July 15, 2022
The missile launch came hours after US President Joe Biden left the country and shortly after the US leader, who is currently in Saudi Arabia, announced a deal that includes Riyadh’s moves Normalization of relations with Israel.
The deal sees two Red Sea islands move from Egypt to Saudi Arabia, and Riyadh will allow Israeli airlines to fly over its territory en route to the Far East. Saudi Arabia is also expected to allow direct flights from Israel for Muslim pilgrims.
# photos | Israeli bombardment of a site owned by Palestinian factions south of Gaza City and its escalation with airstrikes after the bombing pic.twitter.com/N9UgAxf4oW
– News Source (@msdrnews1) July 16, 2022
In 2020, Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, launched a barrage of rockets into the south while Israel signed peace agreements with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
Biden left Israel earlier Friday after a two-day trip that included meetings with Israeli leaders and visits to East Jerusalem and the West Bank.
More footage of the apparent intercept over Ashkelon. pic.twitter.com/b4DQWiMOfC
– Emmanuel (Moon) Fabian (manifabian) July 15, 2022
In the past, Israel responded with airstrikes against Hamas positions, regardless of which group carried out the attack. In rare cases, it was directed at Islamic Jihad, when the movement claimed responsibility.
The last time rockets were fired from the coastal enclave towards Israel on June 18. The attack is believed to have been launched by Palestinian Islamic Jihad in response to the killing of three Palestinians in a shootout with Israeli forces the previous day.
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