JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israel struck Hamas targets in Gaza twice in response to attacks from the coastal strip.
Israel targeted Hamas military targets in northern Gaza early Saturday morning after five rockets were launched from Gaza at southern Israel communities.
The rockets were fired hours after two Palestinian teens were reported killed in Friday clashes between Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli troops on the Gaza border. The Israel Defense Forces said approximately 6,200 Palestinians participated in what the army called “especially violent” protests.
On Saturday, Israel’s military carried out air strikes in the northern and central Gaza Strip, hitting a Hamas naval base and two military complexes, the IDF said in a statement.
The strikes were in response to a drone attack from Gaza. The drone entered Israeli airspace and dropped explosives near the border fence, damaging an Israeli military vehicle, according to the statement.
“The IDF will continue to respond to attempts to harm Israeli civilians and considers the Hamas terror organization responsible for what is happening inside and outside of the Gaza Strip,” the statement said.
As the Year Turns, Support the Journalism You Trust. JTA covers the stories shaping Jewish life around the world — with the depth this moment calls for. As you reflect on the year ahead, consider a gift that keeps independent Jewish journalism strong.
