Israel deploys missile defence system near Gaza

Following Israeli attacks that killed 22 people, including women and children, in the besieged Gaza Strip on Tuesday, the occupation army deployed the Iron Dome Missile Defence system to counter rockets from Palestinian resistance groups. According to Israeli media reports, thousands of Jewish settlers were evacuated from the settlements around Gaza.

In a series of pre-dawn air strikes yesterday, the Israeli occupation authorities killed three Islamic Jihad leaders in their homes. Ten civilians were also killed, including their family members as well as a dentist, his wife and his son. The Ministry of Health in Gaza said that 20 other Palestinians were wounded in the attacks, three of them seriously. On Tuesday evening, the occupation army bombed a car in the east Khan Younis, killing two people and wounding two others.

Ynet news reported that the settlers living in settlements near Gaza are afraid of Palestinian retaliation for the “pre-emptive” air strikes. Meanwhile, the Israeli army evacuated Zekim military base to the north of Gaza, and banned any movement on the routes parallel to Gaza’s security fence fearing snipers and anti-Iron Dome missiles fired from Gaza.

Reports said that the Israeli occupation army also deployed the Iron Dome system in the north of Israel, in case of attacks from across the Lebanese border.

Municipalities of Israeli cities within 40km of Gaza have closed schools and ordered residents to stay at home because of the potential Palestinian resistance response.

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