Israel strikes Hamas positions in Gaza

Israel strikes Hamas positions in Gaza
Israel said it struck Hamas underground infrastructure and military posts in Gaza on Sunday.
2 min read
15 November, 2020
No casualties were reported [Getty]
Israel's military said it struck Hamas positions on Sunday morning following a rocket attack from the Gaza Strip overnight.

Two rockets were fired into southern Israel from the Gaza Strip late on Saturday, the Israeli army said, although there were no immediate reports of any damage or wounded.

Israel said it "struck Hamas underground infrastructure & military posts in Gaza” in a tweet posted on social media.

The army is “conducting an ongoing situational assessment & remains prepared to operate against any terror activity," the statement added.

An army source told AFP in a WhatsApp message that fighter jets, helicopters and tanks were deployed.

Security sources in Gaza said there were a number of strikes overnight, including in Khan Younes, Rafah and Beit Hanoun, without reporting any casualties.

Earlier, Israeli media had reported the rockets from Gaza came down in uninhabited areas, although a military spokeswoman was unable to confirm this.

The strike from Gaza - which has not been claimed - comes days after the anniversary of the assassination of senior Islamic Jihad leader Baha Abu Al-Ata, killed in a strike on his home in Gaza City on November 12 last year.

Ahead of the anniversary, Israeli military were reportedly on high alert within the Gaza Strip.

Read also: Israel planned to kill Arafat by blowing up Lebanese stadium: report

Israel and Hamas have fought three wars and several skirmishes since the group seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007.

Israel holds Hamas responsible for all attacks emanating from Gaza, including those claimed by other militant groups.

Israel and Egypt have maintained a crippling blockade on the coastal territory, which is home to 2 million Palestinians, since Hamas took power.

An informal truce brokered by Egypt and the United Nations, with the financial support of gas-rich Qatar, has been in force since late 2018.

It has been broken several times but has been restored on each occasion.

Agencies contributed to this report.

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