Israeli media reports rocket fire attempt from West Bank toward Israeli settlement

By Zain Khalil

JERUSALEM (AA) - Israeli media has reported an attempt to fire a rocket from the West Bank toward an Israeli settlement.

The public broadcaster KAN said on Wednesday that the incident took place near the village of Nazlet Zeid, west of Jenin, and was planned to be fired toward the settlement of Shaked, close to the village.

But according to an Israeli military source, the projectile exploded in the air immediately once launched, just 3 meters (9.8 feet) above the launcher.

The Israeli army said in a statement that the launcher was taken for further investigation, adding that the group behind the attempt was still unclear.

The Israeli media published a video which says it was circulated by Palestinians showing the rocket firing attempt and the explosion of the rocket immediately once fired.

No Palestinian group claimed responsibility for the incident which is considered the first attempt to launch a rocket from the West Bank, as Palestinian resistance groups are usually known to be firing rockets from Gaza.

* Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara.