Israel air force attacks Hamas in Gaza Strip in response to rocket fire: Report

The Israeli air force attacked Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip on Saturday night, a report said.

An Israeli military spokesperson said in a statement that jets hit Hamas observation points in southern Gaza, and that the attack was in response to rockets launched towards Israel on Friday, Haaretz reported on its website.

The statement added that Friday's rockets proved once again that Iran is working to undermine the status quo in the region, further noting that the situation and its implications are Hamas's responsibility.

On Friday, three rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip towards southern Israel, Haaretz said. Israel's Iron Dome missile defence system intercepted two of the rockets, while the third hit a building in the regional council of Shaar Hanegev.

In response, the Israeli army struck two Hamas positions in the northern Gaza Strip by tank and aircraft on Friday.

Gazan dies

Separately, a Gazan died on Saturday after being wounded by Israeli fire during a protest on the border over US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, a Palestinian health official said.

Jamal Muslih, 20, of Al-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, had been seriously wounded by live fire on Friday, health ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said.

He was buried on Saturday afternoon.

Muslih's death brings to 13 the number of Palestinians killed since US President Donald Trump announced on 6 December that he would recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital and move the US embassy there from Tel Aviv.