BICOM

For the first time in four months, a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip landed in southern Israel yesterday evening. Israeli forces responded by striking a strategic site in the northern Gaza Strip.

The single rocket was fired yesterday evening at around 10pm, triggering the Colour Red rocket siren system in Israeli communities near the Gaza Strip, including the town of Sderot. It sent thousands of local residents hurrying into shelters at the end of Independence Day celebrations. The rocket itself exploded in an open field in the Shaar Hanegev region and did not cause any injuries or damage.

However, it was the first time that a rocket from the Gaza Strip had landed in Israel since December and only the fourth occasion such an incident had taken place since Operation Protective Edge last summer. An Egyptian-brokered ceasefire brought an end to the 50-day conflict and has largely held firm, but Israel has consistently made clear that it will not tolerate rocket fire.

In response to yesterday’s attack, IDF forces struck a position in Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip, which is thought to be a terror training camp. It is reported that Israeli tanks rather than aircraft carried out the strike. An IDF statement said that it “will not tolerate any attempt to harm the safety of the residents of Israel.” Media reports say that Hamas is not thought to have been responsible for the rocket fire and has conveyed this to Israeli authorities. Nonetheless, as the de facto authority in the Gaza Strip, Israeli leaders have previously said that they hold Hamas responsible for maintaining quiet.

Since Operation Protective Edge ended, Israel has eased restrictions on goods entering and exiting Gaza. However, there have been numerous reports that Hamas has test fired rockets into the Mediterranean Sea. The Telegraph reported earlier this month that Iran had transferred millions of pounds to enable Hamas to rebuild tunnels and replenish its rocket supplies.