Middle East Conflict
Israel attacks Hamas targets in Gaza after shelling
Smoke and fire rise after an explosion caused by an Israeli airstrike on Gaza City. photo
© Adel Hana/AP
Tensions in the Middle East continue, for example on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Rockets are fired in the direction of Israel from the Gaza Strip and Lebanon – the Israeli military reacts.
After heavy shelling by suspected militant Palestinian organizations from Lebanon, Israel’s army attacked targets in the Gaza Strip on Friday night. The army said fighter jets had bombed, among other things, weapons factories belonging to the Islamist Hamas, which rules in the Gaza Strip. It was initially unclear whether there were injuries or even deaths. According to Palestinian media and eyewitnesses, explosions could be heard and smoke seen over the coastal enclave.
According to the army, 34 rockets had previously been fired from Lebanon onto Israeli territory – the most since 2006. A large part was intercepted. Two people in northern Israel were reportedly slightly injured. The Israeli army assumes that Hamas, which rules in the Gaza Strip, or the militant Palestinian organization Islamic Jihad are involved. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had threatened tough action in the evening.
The escalation was preceded by Israeli police clashes with Palestinians on the Temple Mount (Al-Haram al-Sharif) in Jerusalem. According to media reports, police used batons, tear gas and rubber bullets to remove Palestinians from Al-Aqsa Mosque for two nights in a row. A police spokeswoman said young people had previously thrown firecrackers and stones at police officers and tried to barricade themselves in the mosque.
The Temple Mount with the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest site in Islam. But it is also sacred to Jews because there used to be two Jewish temples there. Violent confrontations are frequent in the area around the mosque.