Seven Israelis were injured when a rocket, allegedly fired from Gaza Strip, struck their village north of Tel Aviv city early on Monday, Al Jazeera reported. The Israeli military has blamed Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that controls Gaza, for the attack.
This is the furthest a rocket has been fired into Israel since 2014, according to CNN. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who will face elections in less than 15 days, cut short his visit to Washington after the attack. The Israeli army has moved tanks and deployed troops to the border with Gaza.
“This was a criminal attack on the state of Israel, and we will respond with force,” said Netanyahu. He was scheduled to give a keynote address at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee Policy Conference on Tuesday and participate in a celebratory state dinner with US President Donald Trump at the White House.
Military spokesperson Mika Lifshitz said the rocket was manufactured by Hamas and had a range of around 75 miles, reported The Washington Post. The rocket wounded six members of the home it struck and a 12-year-old neighbour. Three of the injured, including a six-month-old, are still in hospital.
The incident came 10 days after two rockets were fired at Tel Aviv by Hamas, the first time since 2014. One of the rockets struck an open area in the city of Holon. The Israeli army retaliated by striking some 100 targets across the Hamas-run coastal enclave.
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