IDF Strikes Targets in Gaza in Response to Terrorist Rockets Fired Toward Israel
The Israeli military launched air and artillery attacks against Palestinian terrorists in the Gaza Strip overnight in response to rockets fired toward central Israel that landed in the Mediterranean Sea.
The Jerusalem Post reports that two rockets were launched early Saturday morning from the Hamas-run territory, one landed off the coast of Tel Aviv and the other off the coast of Palmachim, south of Rishon Letzion.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) tweeted, "As fireworks lit up the skies to celebrate #NewYear2022 around the world, a different type of fire came from Gaza—terrorist rocket-fire toward Israel. In response, we just struck Hamas sites in Gaza, incl. a rocket manufacturing site & military posts used for terrorist activity."
This morning, 2 rockets were fired from Gaza toward Israel.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) January 1, 2022
According to protocol, no sirens were sounded and no interception took place as the rockets landed in the sea off the coast of central Israel.
As fireworks lit up the skies to celebrate #NewYear2022 around the world, a different type of fire came from Gaza—terrorist rocket-fire toward Israel.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) January 1, 2022
In response, we just struck Hamas sites in Gaza, incl. a rocket manufacturing site & military posts used for terrorist activity. pic.twitter.com/mncbxQ3RhN
The Post reports that the Israeli military confirms terrorists in Gaza fired missiles at IDF helicopters carrying out the retaliatory strikes.
Hamas claimed Saturday’s rocket launches were triggered by bad weather, but the IDF says the Palestinian Islamic Jihad intentionally fired the rockets.
Nonetheless, "the terrorist organization Hamas is responsible for what is happening in the Gaza Strip and bears the consequences of terrorist acts from the Gaza Strip," an IDF spokesperson said.
Hazem Qassem, a spokesman for Hamas, told the media outlet Al Jazeera that some of the targeted areas by the Israel strikes were agricultural lands.
"Our resistance will continue to perform its duty to defend our people and liberate our land and sanctities," Qassem said. "We will stick to our right of resistance until achieving the goals of our people with liberation and return."
However, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said Israel would not condone such reasoning.
"I want to clarify something here - all of Hamas' of thunder and lightning, which repeat themselves winter after winter, are no longer relevant," he said. "Whoever directs missiles at the State of Israel - bears responsibility."
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