Gaza City- In a dramatic escalation of violence, Hamas launched a barrage of rockets into southern and central Israel early Monday morning, triggering air raid sirens in cities including Ashkelon, Tel Aviv, and as far north as Herzliya. The rocket fire comes amid intensifying Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip, which local health authorities say have killed dozens of Palestinians over the past 48 hours.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that more than 200 rockets were fired from Gaza between midnight and early morning hours. Most were intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system, though some managed to land, causing damage to infrastructure and lightly injuring several civilians.
The rocket launches were claimed by Hamas’ military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, which stated that the attacks were in retaliation for “massacres committed by the Israeli occupation in Gaza.”
The Ministry of Health in Gaza reported that at least 47 Palestinians, including women and children, have been killed in the latest Israeli airstrikes. Hospitals in the besieged enclave are reportedly overwhelmed, and critical shortages of medicine, electricity, and fuel have been exacerbated by ongoing border closures.
In response to the rocket fire, Israeli warplanes struck dozens of Hamas and Islamic Jihad targets across the Gaza Strip, including what the military described as underground launch sites, command centers, and weapons storage facilities.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened an emergency security meeting Monday morning, vowing a “forceful and sustained response” to the rocket fire. “We will not tolerate attacks on our cities and citizens. Hamas will pay a heavy price,” Netanyahu stated.
The UN has called for immediate de-escalation. UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed deep concern over the rising death toll and urged both sides to avoid further civilian casualties. “The situation is deteriorating rapidly. Both parties must return to dialogue,” he said.
The latest flare-up marks one of the deadliest surges in violence since the 2023 ceasefire. As of now, fears of a broader conflict loom large, with mediators from Egypt and Qatar reportedly working behind the scenes to broker a truce.
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