Israel-Hamas war: Much famed Iron Dome fails as Hamas launches major attack on Israel after…, rattled Netanyahu asks IDF to…
Israel-Hamas war: Israel’s much-hyped Iron Dome air defense system failed to stop at least half of the rockets fired by Hamas as the Palestinian militant group carried out a major attack, the biggest in several months, on the Jewish state. According to reports, Hamas fired a barrage of rockets over southern Israel on Sunday night, marking a new escalation in the Israel-Hamas war.
Hamas launches rocket attack
As per media reports, Hamas fired ten rockets into Israel but the Iron Dome system was only able to neutralize around half of the projectiles, while the rest struck various areas, causing significant damage, and injuring several Israeli citizens. One Hamas rocket hit Ashkelon, causing injuries to a 30-year-old man who was struck by shrapnel, and was rushed to the Barzilai Hospital for treatment, they said.
Videos of the Hamas rocket attack on Israel have surfaced on social media platforms, showing rockets striking near high-rise apartment buildings.
IDF instructed to expand Gaza ops
Meanwhile, shortly after the Hamas rocket attack, Israel issued a dire warning, stating that the Gaza-based militant group “will pay a heavy price” for the assault. According to Israeli media reports, the rockets were fired from Deir al-Balah in central Gaza. Following the attack, Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz spoke to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and ordered the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) to expand its military onslaught against Hamas inside the battle-ravaged Gaza Strip, they said.
The reports further said that after the attack, Colonel Avichay Adraee, the IDF’s Arabic language spokesperson, issued a “last warning” to Palestinian citizens in Deir al-Balah, urging them to evacuate the area as Israeli forces were preparing to launch an operation in central Gaza.
In a statement, the IDF said it had neutralized the rocket launcher used by Hamas to carry out Sunday’s attack, in a drone operation.
Netanyahu vows ‘strong response’
PM Benjamin Netanyahu was on his way to the United States (US) where he is scheduled to meet President Donald Trump, when the attack took place. The Israeli PM spoke to Katz on the phone, and asked the Defence Minister to issue a “strong response”, according to a statement from the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office.
In a statement, Katz said he has instructed the IDF to continue and expand its ongoing operation against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
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