ALBAWABA - Air raid sirens reverberated throughout more than 300 Israeli cities and towns, including Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, as Palestinian resistance fighters reported heavy clashes with Israeli troops in Rafah on Sunday, further escalating the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Hamas' armed branch, the Al-Qassam Brigades, said its members targeted an Israeli unit and caused casualties when they exploded a booby-trapped house in the Abu al-Rous neighborhood east of Rafah. In the meantime, a rocket assault targeting Israeli forces moving close to the Netzarim corridor in central Gaza was claimed by the Islamic Jihad's Al-Quds Brigades.
Israel's military reported intercepting a ballistic missile fired from Yemen at the same time. In central Israel, the rocket, which was purportedly fired by Houthi forces, sent off numerous sirens. The rocket caused temporary closures at Ben Gurion Airport and caused noticeable alarm along the shore of Tel Aviv, despite being intercepted outside of Israeli airspace.
According to health officials back in Gaza, Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 35 Palestinians since the early hours of the morning. The attacks struck several locations, including Gaza City, Khan Younis, and Deir al-Balah. Women, children, and displaced families were among the victims. The assault on a Deir al-Balah municipal facility was one of the bloodiest events.
