JERUSALEM, Jan 1 (Reuters) – Palestinian militants in Gaza fired two rockets toward the Mediterranean Sea on Saturday, causing an explosion off the shore of Tel Aviv and drawing Israeli strikes, Israel’s military said.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility from Gaza militants for the rocket firing or comment from Hamas, the Islamist armed group that rules the coastal Palestinian enclave. Police said there were no casualties or damage caused by the early morning explosion.
After dark fell, Israel’s military said it struck at “terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip.” Hamas Radio said some of the group’s security posts and a training camp were targeted by Israeli aircraft and tanks. There were no immediate reports of casualties.
Hamas has occasionally test-fired rockets, launching them toward the sea. Hamas-affiliated Paltimes news website said, however, that the launch was probably caused by a malfunction.
The Israel-Gaza frontier has been largely quiet since an 11-day war in May. But on Wednesday, gunfire from Gaza that wounded an Israeli civilian drew tank fire from the Israeli military, wounding three Palestinians.
Reporting by Maayan Lubell in Jerusalem and Nidal al-Mughrabi in Gaza; Editing by Neil Fullick, Peter Graff and Sandra Maler
