Israel attacks Gaza after rocket fire

The Israeli military has bombed Gaza after a rocket strike destroyed a family home and injured seven people in a neighbourhood north of Tel Aviv.

Amid fears of a new sustained conflict in Gaza, the Israeli army has also reinforced troops along the Gaza border and called up reserves.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in Washington to meeting Donald Trump, has cut short his US trip. “Israel will not tolerate this. I will not tolerate it,” Netanyahu said. “As we speak, Israel is responding forcefully to this wanton aggression.”

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Yesterday morning, a rocket launched from southern Gaza struck a house in Mishmeret, causing severe damage to the building and setting it on fire. Israeli medics treated two women who were moderately wounded and five other people, including an infant, a three-year-old boy and a 12-year-old girl, who had minor wounds.

Israel blamed Hamas for the launch of the rocket but so far no Palestinian militant group has claimed responsibility. One unnamed Hamas official said it had “no interest” in doing so.

In response, Israel has bombed a series of targets in Gaza. The Israeli military said the office of Hamas's political leader and the group's military intelligence headquarters were among the targets. Gaza's health ministry said seven people were injured in the strikes.

A ceasefire was brokered by Egypt yesterday but shortly afterwards air raid sirens were heard in southern Israel and rocket fire reported from Gaza.

The renewed hostilities come as Netanyahu faces a bitter struggle for re-election on 9 April. Opinion polls show Netanyahu is neck and neck with his main opponent, Benny Gantz. The Israeli leader has sought to dismiss his rival as a “leftist” who is weak on security issues.

Israel and Hamas have fought three wars. The most recent came in 2014, lasting 50 days and killing more than 2,000 Palestinians and 73 Israelis.