Hamas fired into southern Ashkelon at midnight between Thursday and Friday from the Gaza Strip. Rockets continued throughout the night being aimed in all different directions, resulting in IDF Airforce strikes against Hamas targets. According to the terror group, the rocket firing is a response to the operation by the Israel Defense Forces in Jenin Thursday morning, which killed 8 militants. In a rare show of transparency, the IDF was giving live updates on the raid as it was a massive show of force meant to thwart an 'imminent terror attack on Israeli civilians.'
Sirens were heard in the Zikim Beach and Karmia Kibbutz communities, south of the coastal city of Ashkelon following the launch of two rockets. They were intercepted by the Iron Dome system. In response to this, the IDF attacked targets in the Gaza Strip early Friday morning, including an underground site for the production of rockets and a Hamas military base which the IDF defined as "one of the organization's significant centers of terrorist activity." Hamas's Az Ad-Din Al-Qassam Brigades claimed to have launched surface-to-air missiles and anti-aircraft missiles during the air force attack, but no reports of such missiles were published by the IDF.
Code Red sirens signaling incoming missiles from Gaza sounded in several Israeli cities Thursday night, as terror groups in the Gaza Strip fired rockets to avenge the deaths of suspected Islamic Jihad members killed in a raid on a refugee camp in Jenin. https://t.co/0cO3gIpUIv
ā CBN Israel (@cbnisraelaid) January 27, 2023
Defense Minister Yoav Galant said in response that "terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip suffered a blow tonight from IDF fire in a series of attacks. I have instructed the security establishment to prepare for action with a variety of offensive measures and high-quality targets, in case it is necessary to continue - until peace is restored to the citizens of Israel." Hamas is the one who will pay the price for the security violations against the State of Israel".
Hazem Qassem, the spokesman for Hamas, said that "the brave resistance in the Gaza Strip continues to fulfill its duty to protect our people. We salute the fighters of the Az Ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades who faced the Zionist aggression with anti-aircraft missiles that confused the occupation army."
The vast majority of Gaza is open, uninhabited land.
ā Soccer Facts (@Soccer_Stats) January 27, 2023
Yet Hamas and other Islamic Terrorist groups manufacture, store and fire missiles towards Israels civilian centres from the most densely populated areas.
This is a Double War Crime which the World turns a blind eye to. pic.twitter.com/h21h7blFTb
Shortly after the shooting at Ashkelon, the municipality said that the public shelters throughout the city are open for the residents' well-being. Mayor Tomer Glam asked to maintain high vigilance but emphasized that there are no special instructions for conduct in the city. "The municipality's teams are on full alert and prepared for any scenario," it was reported.
The shooting from Gaza occurred despite the international efforts of the United States, Egypt, Qatar, and the United Nations to prevent an escalation. Next Monday, the American Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is expected to arrive in Israel, amid US fears that tensions will cloud the visit - which was planned to deal with both the Palestinian issue and Iran, along with the possible Saudi Arabia peace agreement and other issues.
