Gaza rocket strikes home in central Israel

KFAR SABA, Israel – An early morning rocket from Gaza struck a house in central Israel on Monday, wounding six people, including one moderately, an Israeli rescue service said.

The sounds of air raid sirens woke up the residents of the residential Sharon area and a strong sound of an explosion followed.

The Israeli military said it identified a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip and was investigating.

Magen David Adom rescue service said it was treating six people after a house was struck.

It said a 50-year-old woman was moderately wounded and the others, including an infant, were slightly injured.

The attack comes 10 days after rockets were fired toward Israel’s densely populated commercial capital of Tel Aviv.

The Israeli military struck back hard in Gaza and the sides appeared to be hurtling toward another confrontation.

But Gaza’s Hamas leaders said the rocket was fired accidently and calm was quickly restored.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility to Monday’s incident.

Gaza is controlled by Hamas, an Islamic militant group that seeks Israel’s destruction.

The territory is home to other militant groups, including Islamic Jihad, an Iranian-backed armed organization that also has a formidable rocket arsenal.

Israel and Hamas are bitter enemies and have fought three wars since the Islamic militant group seized power in Gaza in 2007.

Smaller flare-ups have occurred sporadically since Israel and Hamas fought their last war, in 2014. / gsg