File image.
On May 10, Palestinian armed factions in the Gaza Strip fired hundreds of rockets at southern and central Israel in response to a recent wave of strikes on the enclave that claimed the lives of 13 people.
At least three rockets were launched at Tel Aviv and the surrounding area at around. Hundreds of other rockets were fired at the southern cities of Sderot, Ashkelon and nearby settlements. Many rockets were downed by Iron Dome air defense systems across the southern and central region. There were no immediate reports of injuries.
A military source told the Ynet news site that Palestinian armed factions launched some 350 rockets and mortars from Gaza.
The so-called Joint Operations Room of various Palestinian armed factions in the Gaza Strip, which includes both the Hamas Movement and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), said in a statement that it had fired “hundreds” of rockets as a part of operation dubbed the Revenge of the Free in response to recent Israeli strikes.
The strikes, which took place early on May 9, claimed the lives of three senior commanders of the PIJ as well as a number of women and children. Two follow up strikes on May 9 afternoon and May 10 morning claimed the lives of three alleged fighters of the PIJ. The Israeli decision to assassinate the commanders was reportedly taken in response to a series of rocket attacks which were launched from Gaza between May 2 and 3.
In response to the new rocket attacks, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) launched a series of strikes on Gaza, targeting rocket and mortar launch sites as well as observation posts. The new strikes brought the death toll in Gaza since the beginning of Israeli escalation to 19, according to health officials in the strip.
Speaking to mayors from southern Israel during a rocket barrage from Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the IDF is ready “both to expand the current operation and inflict heavy blows on Gaza, now and in the future.”
Palestinian factions also appear to be ready for escalating rocket attacks on Israel, which means that the confrontation could go on for a few days.
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