An Israeli airstrike targeted and killed a senior Islamic Jihad commander in Gaza. The airstrike in northern Gaza killed Bahaa Abu el-Atta and his wife. Soon after the attack, Rocket warning sounded in Israeli communities near the Gaza Strip. Nearly 200 rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel on Tuesday hours after the attack. Forty-seven Israelis were wounded, including two hurt by rocket shrapnel.
The Israeli military said its “Iron Dome” aerial defense system had intercepted “dozens” of the approximately 190 rocket. They even released footage of a rocket hitting an Israeli highway, narrowly missing two cars. Schools and businesses were closed across southern Israel.
The Israeli military further added that they have been targetting Islamic Jihad sites in Gaza, including a training facility, a tunnel, and underground weapons production and storage areas.
The Islamic Jihad vowed to avenge the killing of Abu el-Atta and said that he was undergoing “a heroic act” when he was assassinated. They further added that these terrorist crimes are aggression and a declaration of war against the Palestinian people, and the enemy bears full responsibility for them.
A spokesman for Hamas warned that Israel’s actions could provoke more violence.
Islamic Jihad is the second-largest militant group in Gaza and is supported by Iran. It and Hamas, which runs Gaza, vow to destroy Israel and are considered terrorist groups by the United States.
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