Off the wire
• Sudanese president reiterates keenness on cooperation with Saudi Arabia  • Suspects detained in Russia for alleged terror plots  • News Analysis: Israel's rejection of French initiative causes stalemate in peace process  • British FTSE 100 decreases 1.19 pct on Wednesday  • LME base metals mostly decrease on Wednesday  • Slovak gov't to help farmers affected by frost  • UNICEF, partners launch Ghana's new birth registration system  • 1st LD Writethru: John Kasich to quit U.S. Republican presidential race: report  • Roundup: Tensions mount high along Gaza-Israel border  • China's gold output edges up in Q1  
You are here: 　 Home

Israeli war jets strike southern Gaza, no injuries

Xinhua, May 5, 2016 Adjust font size:

Israeli war jets struck with two air-to-ground missiles the area of the inoperative Gaza Airport east of Rafah town in southern Gaza Strip with no injures reported, according to witnesses and security officials.

The Israeli airstrike on the area came few hours after militants fired earlier on Wednesday five mortar shells on an Israeli army base into Israel. Israeli tanks stationed in the area fired back with three tank shells. No injuries reported.

Earlier on Wednesday, anonymous Gaza militants opened fire at an Israeli army bulldozer that was digging into the ground underneath the borderline area between eastern Gaza city and Israel, according to security officials in Gaza.

They said that Israeli tanks stationed east of Gaza city close to the fence of the border fired three shells that targeted a lookout post that belongs to Hamas militants, no injuries were reported in both sides.

Militants returned fire and launched five mortar shells at an Israeli army post into Israel east of the border with eastern Gaza city. No injuries were reported.

In the light of the fire trade between the Israeli army and the militants, two Palestinian schools were evacuated in fear that the Israeli shells could hit the schools, according to residents of eastern Gaza city al-Shuja'eya neighborhood.

Sami Abu Zuhri, Hamas spokesman in Gaza said in an emailed press statement that Israel is held responsible for the current escalation in the Gaza Strip following the trade of fire between Gaza militants and the Israeli army.

The Islamic Jihad armed wing, another militant group active in Gaza, but less influential, also warned Israel of any escalation against Gaza. It said in a statement that the militants' patience would run out soon.

The Israeli army said in an official statement that the aim of its operation was to look for tunnels that were dug underneath the borderline area between the Gaza Strip and Israel, adding that the operation won't end until tunnels are discovered.

In 2014, Israel waged a large-scale military operation on Gaza that lasted for 50 days during the summer, which left 2,200 Palestinians and more than 70 Israelis dead besides large destruction of houses and infrastructure. Endit