Hamas fires rockets at Israel in first offensive since cease-fire collapse
Hamas fired a barrage of rockets at Tel Aviv Thursday in the terror group’s first attack since the cease-fire fell apart, Israel’s military said.
The three long-range rockets — one of which was intercepted by air defenses — were launched from the southern Gaza Strip, according to the Israel Defense Forces.
The other two fell in an “open area,” the IDF said, though it wasn’t immediately known where.
The Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ armed wing, swiftly claimed responsibility for the bombing, saying it was in response to “the Zionist massacres against civilians” this week.
Hamas said the M90 rockets were fired at Tel Aviv just hours after a series of Israeli airstrikes killed at least 85 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
It wasn’t immediately clear if there were any injuries in Israel from the attacks, but initial reports from Israeli media claim some people were hurt while rushing to bomb shelters in Holon.
Pieces of shrapnel were seen falling from the sky just southwest of the incident in Rishon Lezion, but it’s unclear if they are from a Hamas missile or a piece of an Israeli interceptor rocket,?the Times of Israel reported.?
Along with the Hamas attacks, Yemen’s Houthi rebels also fired a missile at the Jewish State early Thursday, triggering Israeli sirens at around 4 a.m., according to the IDF.
The sirens echoed across central Israel and Jerusalem as residents rushed to hide in bomb shelters, with the panic leading to many injuries, the Magen David Adom ambulance service said.
The Yemeni missile was downed by the Israeli Air Force before entering the Jewish State’s airspace, the military said.
The Houthis have vowed to continue their attacks on Israel, as well as US vessels in the Red Sea in solidarity with Hamas.
President Trump has said that the Houthis “will be completely annihilated” following their renewed campaign in the region, with the US calling on Iran to end all military aid to the terror proxy.
Thursday’s attack on Israel came after the IDF renewed its campaign to wipe out Hamas with a surprise bombardment of Gaza on Tuesday — shattering its two-month truce that facilitated the release of more than two dozen hostages.
Israel blamed the renewed fighting on Hamas’ refusal to accept a US-backed deal to release more hostages in exchange for an extension of the first phase of the cease-fire.
In addition to Tuesday’s airstrikes, which Gaza’s health ministry said killed more than 400 Palestinians, Israel launched its first ground operations Wednesday — with troops retaking part of a key Gaza stretch known as the Netzarim corridor.
The IDF has also traced Thursday’s attack to the Bani Suheila area of southern Gaza, warning the Palestinian refugees there to evacuate before retaliatory airstrikes are carried out.
Israel, for its part, has vowed to intensify its operations until Hamas releases the remaining 59 hostages it holds — including 35 who are believed to be dead — and gives up control of the territory.
The Trump administration, which took credit for brokering the cease-fire, has said it fully supports Israel.
Hamas has said it will only release the remaining hostages in exchange for a lasting cease-fire and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
With Post wires
