UPDATE – Palestinians fire barrages of rockets into Israel amid Gaza tension

UPDATES WITH ISRAELI ARMY STATEMENT

By Mohammad Majid
GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) – Palestinian factions fired barrages of rockets into Israel on Wednesday amid tension following Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip.
In a statement, the factions said that the rocket fire was in response to the “assassination crime” of three Islamic Jihad leaders.
“The resistance is ready to all options,” the Palestinian factions added.
At least 21 Palestinians were killed and 64 others injured in a series of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, according to the Health Ministry. Three leaders of Islamic Jihad group, their wives and children were among those killed in the attacks.
An Israeli military statement said that 270 rockets were fired from Gaza, of which 205 crossed into Israeli territories.
According to the statement, 62 rockets were intercepted by its air defense systems while three fell into populated areas.
One of the interceptions was made by Israel’s medium-range air defense system known as David Sling over Tel Aviv, marking the first use of the platform against Palestinian rockets from Gaza. `
The Israeli army said 53 targets were struck in Gaza since the start of its offensive early on Tuesday.
The Israeli army said its airstrikes on Gaza were part of its Operation Shield and Arrow in response to rocket fire from Gaza following the death of a Palestinian hunger striker in an Israeli prison last week.
According to Palestinian figures, at least 130 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the start of this year. Nineteen Israelis have also been killed in separate attacks during the same period.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar