Israel hits Gaza after rocket raid

Palestinian militants on Friday fired two rockets from the Gaza Strip towards southern Israel that were intercepted by missile defences, and Israel then carried out strikes in Gaza.

The cross-border fire came after an Israeli raid in the occupied West Bank on Thursday that led to the largest single death toll in years of fighting. The overnight rockets triggered sirens in Israeli communities near the border with Gaza, warning residents to take shelter.

There were no reports of injuries. Israel’s Channel 12 aired footage of Israeli interceptor missiles being launched into the night sky above the city of Ashkelon, about 12km north of Gaza, which is controlled by the Islamist militant group Hamas. A few hours later, Israel’s military said it had carried out strikes in Gaza. Palestinians said Israeli aircraft had targeted a Hamas camp.