On Thursday, Gazan militants launched rockets towards Israel amid clashes between Israeli security forces and Palestinians in Jerusalem’s Al Aqsa Mosque.
Barrage of rockets
Rocket salvos from Gaza continued for the second day in a row following clashes in Jerusalem’s Old City. According to reports, the latest rocket barrage was launched early Thursday morning, and was aimed at several Israeli cities along the southern border.
This dangerous escalation could ignite the entire region while simultaneously putting many lives at risk and desecrating the sanctity of the holy places and the holidays.
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) April 5, 2023
As can be clearly seen, this violence has been organized and planned well in advance.
Starting Wednesday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has been regularly updating on rocket launch timings and siren alerts across southern Israel on Twitter. The Times of Israel (TOI) reported that the latest attack happened less than 24 hours after militants fired at least seven surface-to-air missiles.
The outlet reported that all projectiles exploded in the sky before landing. It further noted that the rockets were aimed at Israeli Air Force locations in the region. Two rockets were fired from a different location in the enclave on the same day. They reportedly failed to reach their targets.
Israeli airstrikes
In retaliation, the IDF struck terrorist sites and rocket manufacturing hubs across Gaza. The Israeli military said airstrikes were launched against multiple weapons manufacturing sites, a Hamas storage site, and a military compound. In addition, tanks shelled military posts located along the security fence dividing Israel and Gaza.
While Israeli media reported that the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorist group were behind the attacks, the IDF has insisted that it will hold Gaza’s ruling Hamas responsible for all attacks emanating from the coastal enclave.
Clashes at the Temple Mount
The abovementioned exchange of rockets and missiles occurred after clashes erupted between the Israeli police and Palestinian worshippers on Wednesday after the former entered the Islamic holy site of Al Aqsa during Ramadan prayers.
While the IDF claims that the move was aimed at preventing Palestinians from storing weapons in the mosque and rioting, worshippers blame the Israeli police for deliberately targeting them.
Pleads for help can be heard from several mosques in Jerusalem. Minarets are calling on people to rally and help those wounded inside Al-Aqsa Compound. According to the Red Crescent, Israeli forces are currently preventing medics from entering the scene. pic.twitter.com/i317V8XQod
— Mohammed El-Kurd (@m7mdkurd) April 5, 2023
Such clashes are common during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan every year and threaten to further destabilise the region. In 2021, clashes in Jerusalem devolved into a full-scale 11-day war between Israel and Hamas. The fighting killed over 230 Gazans and 12 Israelis.