2019 Tel Aviv rocket strike
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A rocket strike occurred on March 14, 2019, when two rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip towards Tel Aviv.[1] The incident was the first rocket strike against Tel Aviv in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict since the 2014 Gaza war.[2][3][4]
At 21:07 IST on Thursday, March 14, 2019,[5] two long-range rockets[a] were launched from the Gaza Strip towards Tel Aviv.[4] Sirens began blaring and the missile defense system, Iron Dome, was activated to intercept the rockets.[4] The Israel Defense Forces originally reported that one of the rockets was intercepted[1] but later acknowledged that neither of the rockets were shot down and landed in unpopulated areas.[7][8] The Israel Police found the remnants of a rocket in Holon, a city near Tel Aviv.[6] No casualties or damage to property was reported.[2] Israel later reported that the two rockets were mistakenly launched.[8][5]
A few hours after the strike, Israel announced the launch of counter strikes in the Gaza Strip.[1] The Israeli military was focused on the town of Khan Yunis located 24 kilometres (15 miles) south of Gaza City.[9] Israel reported that it attacked 100 targets which the military said included "an underground rocket manufacturing site and drone development center."[4][10] Four people were injured in the attack.[11][12] Hamas had evacuated its buildings in expectation of an Israeli retaliatory attack.[5]
Following the Israeli counter strike the next day, six more rockets were launched from Gaza towards towns along the border. The Iron Dome was able to intercept five of the rockets in this volley.[11]
The fighting subsided by 08:00 IST Friday, March 15. However, organizers of the Gaza border demonstrations, March of Return, announced that the day's protests were canceled due to safety concerns. This was the first time the weekly demonstrations were cancelled since they began on March 30, 2018.[6]
Less than two weeks later, on 25 March 2019, a rocket was launched from Gaza and hit a house northeast of Tel Aviv in Mishmeret. The attack injured 7 people.[13]
Notes
- ^ The Jerusalem Post describes the projectiles as "two missiles".[6]
References
- ^ a b c Kubovich, Yaniv; Khoury, Jack; Landau, Noa; Ben Zikri, Almog (March 14, 2019). "Israeli army strikes in Gaza after rockets target Tel Aviv in first since 2014 war". Haaretz. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
- ^ a b Holmes, Oliver (March 14, 2019). "Rockets fired from Gaza target Tel Aviv for first time since 2014". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
- ^ Beaumont, Peter (July 9, 2014). "Netanyahu instructs Israeli military to intensify assault on Gaza". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
- ^ a b c d Ward, Alex (March 14, 2019). "2 rockets from Gaza targeted a major Israeli city". Vox. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
- ^ a b c Harel, Amos (March 17, 2019). "Rocket Fire by Mistake: Gaza, Israel Write Off Tel Aviv Attack as 'Incompetence'". Haaretz. Retrieved March 17, 2019.
- ^ a b c Lazaroff, Tovah (March 17, 2019). "Calm restored after Israel-Hamas flareup". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
- ^ al-Mughrabi, Nidal (March 15, 2019). "Israel strikes Gaza after rocket attack". The Australian. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
- ^ a b Ahronheim, Anna; Jaffe-Hoffman, Maayan (March 15, 2019). "IDF: Hamas rocket fire on Tel Aviv was a 'mistake' - Arab-Israeli Conflict". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
- ^ "Israeli military announces attack on Gaza sites after rocket attack on Tel Aviv". NBC News. The Associated Press. March 14, 2019. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
- ^ "IDF Releases Before After Pictures of Destroyed Hamas Positions in Gaza". The Jerusalem Post. March 17, 2019. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
- ^ a b al-Mughrabi, Nidal (March 15, 2019). "Israeli warplanes strike Gaza after rockets fired toward Tel Aviv". Reuters. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
- ^ "Israel launches dozens of Gaza strikes after rockets target Tel Aviv". AFP. March 15, 2019. Archived from the original on March 16, 2019. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
- ^ Dahman, Ibrahim; Liebermann, Oren; Carey, Andrew (March 25, 2019). "After rocket hits house near Tel Aviv, Israel strikes Hamas targets in Gaza". CNN. Retrieved April 18, 2023.