Israel Strikes Back at Gaza After Ashdod Rocket Attack
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
Israel’s Air Force attacked what the Israeli military called four “terrorist sites” in the Gaza Strip after a rocket attack from Gaza on southern Israel.
The Iron Dome missile defense system intercepted over the southern Israeli port city of Ashdod at least one rocket fired from Gaza late on Monday night, the IDF said. No damage or injuries were reported.
The rocket, reported to be a long-range Grad-style rocket, was the first projectile to be fired from Gaza at Ashdod since last summer’s Gaza conflict with Israel.
The four targeted sites hit on Tuesday morning were part of the Hamas terror infrastructure, according to the IDF, which holds Hamas responsible for activity emanating from Gaza.
“The IDF will not tolerate any fire into Israel’s territory by terror groups and will continue to respond severely to any attempt to disturb the peace in the south. The terrorist organization Hamas is responsible,” the IDF said in a statement.
The Sheikh Omar Hadid Brigade, a Salafist group affiliated with the Islamic State, reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack in posts on social media, saying it was in response to the killing last week of a Palestinian woman at a checkpoint in Hebron. Troops manning the checkpoint said the woman, 18, tried to stab soldiers there, a claim which has been disputed by a Palestinian eyewitness.
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