Islamic Jihad Fires Rockets on Israel From Gaza in First Since August Operation

For the first time since Operation Breaking Dawn in August, rockets were launched Thursday night from Gaza toward Israel, sending residents in the Gaza border area of southern Israel into their bomb shelters. First, a single rocket crossed the border into Israel, activating the Iron Dome missile defense system, which successfully intercepted it. About a half hour later, three more rockets were launched from the northern Gaza Strip toward Israel but fell short, landing in the strip, itself. The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said the launches were under investigation. The Islamic Jihad armed group in the Gaza Strip claimed responsibility for the rocket launches, saying they were “a response to the assassination of the commander of the Al-Quds Brigades [an armed militia of Islamic Jihad] in Jenin.”

The Israeli military said the commander, Farouk Salameh, was involved in many attacks on Israeli soldiers and civilians, including the killing of Sgt. Maj. Noam Raz, an officer in the Yamam counterterrorism unit of the Border Police. Salameh, the Israeli military said, was connected to the Lions’ Den group and planning additional attacks on Israelis.

In response to the rocket fire, Israeli forces struck an underground complex in the Gaza Strip that was reportedly used for the development and manufacturing of rockets.