Gaza rocket attacks strike Ashdod, Tel- Aviv, Israel responded

ANHA's correspondent in Gaza reported that the Israeli army launched a series of air strikes, followed by artillery shelling of sites belonging to Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

He quoted local sources as saying that the bombing hit separate areas in the Gaza Strip, most of which were focused on targets belonging to Hamas.

In a statement, the Israeli army stated, "The strikes and shelling were in response to the launching of two shells from Gaza towards the center and south of the country."

Around three o'clock in the morning, sirens sounded in Tel Aviv and Ashdod, after rocket-propelled grenades were fired from the Strip, followed by explosions heard in the Tel Aviv area.

Earlier, Israeli sources had reported that the Israeli security establishment raised the state of alert in the military and civilian terms, in preparation for the possibility of a security escalation on the first anniversary of the assassination of the military leader of the Islamic Jihad, Bahaa Abu Al-Atta, which happened last Thursday, and the Israeli army set up batteries Air defense in the south of the country, following estimates of a possible military escalation.

Among the measures taken by Israel, the state of alert was raised at Ben Gurion Airport in Lod as well, as the flight paths were changed, which only happens in cases of exceptional security preparedness or rounds of fighting in the Gaza Strip.

T/S

ANHA