-
Israel Intercepts Two Rocket Attacks from Gaza and Threatens Netivot for the First Time
The Israeli army announced that two rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip toward Israel on Sunday morning, with the defense system managing to intercept one of them.
Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee said on X (formerly Twitter): "Following the alerts activated in the Gaza envelope area and in the town of Netivot, the firing involved two rockets from central Gaza, with one intercepted and the other falling in an open area."
This is the first time in months that the town of Netivot, with a population of about 50,000 and located approximately 10 kilometers from Gaza, has been directly threatened by rockets from the Strip.
In the context of escalating tensions, Israel intensified its military operations around Gaza City, where the army announced plans to control the area to defeat Hamas and to retrieve hostages taken during the October 7, 2023 attack.
In related developments, the Israeli army carried out an airstrike on Saturday that destroyed a building in the city, the second such strike within two days. Additionally, thousands of soldiers dropped leaflets in the western neighborhoods of Gaza, urging residents to evacuate, according to eyewitnesses.
