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IDF strikes Hamas targets in Gaza overnight Saturday

The two rockets launched from Gaza triggered sirens in the city of Ashdod and Kibbutz Palmachim as well as in several central Israeli communities.

By Lauren Marcus, World Israel News

Israeli Defense Forces tanks, helicopters, and fighter jets struck multiple Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip overnight Saturday after two rockets were fired from Gaza towards Israeli communities.

The two rockets launched from Gaza triggered sirens in the city of Ashdod and Kibbutz Palmachim as well as in several central Israeli communities.

The rockets were intercepted by the Iron Dome Defense System; no physical injuries were reported. Magen David Adom treated three people for shock in the cities of Ashdod, Holon, and Bat Yam.

“2 rockets were fired from Gaza into Israel earlier tonight. In response, our forces just struck Hamas underground infrastructure & military posts in Gaza,” the IDF announced on its official Twitter account early Sunday morning.

“The IDF conducts ongoing situation assessments and acts decisively against any attempt at terrorist activity against the citizens of the State of Israel and the violation of its sovereignty.”

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One year ago, the IDF assassinated Palestinian Islamic Jihad military leader Baha Abu al-Ata in a targeted airstrike in Gaza. Southern Israeli communities were placed on high alert last week due to the anniversary of al-Ata’s killing, expecting retaliatory rocket launches from Gaza.

Born in Gaza and trained in Syria, Al-Ata was a field commander for the Iran-backed terrorist group. According to the IDF, he was directly responsible for planning and coordinating attacks against Israeli civilians, including one at the Erez border crossing in 2008 and another near Kibbutz Nahal Oz in which two Israelis were killed, as well as placing snipers and explosives along the border fence.