Hamas launch attack on Tel Aviv for first time in months as pics show Iron Dome intercepting rockets fired from Gaza
HAMAS has launched a chilling barrage of rocket attacks on Israel for the first time in months forcing civilians to flee their homes.
Rocket sirens were loudly blasted across Tel Aviv after eight missiles were said to have been launched from Gaza with pictures showing Israel’s famous Iron Dome intercepting several of them in mid-air.
The Israeli military say no injuries have been reported yet despite Hamas’ military wing, Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades, labelling it a “big missile” attack.
Hamas announced they were aiming for Israel’s largest city, saying: “We fired a large salvo at Tel Aviv in response to the Zionist massacres of civilians.”
It is thought the barrage of missiles came from the city of Rafah where Israel has been constantly bombarding with strikes as they look to end the bloody war.
Rocket sirens rang out around Tel Aviv, Herzliya and Petah Tikva today as petrified locals were forced to take cover as the rockets flew overhead.
Israel’s impressive Iron Dome technology was seen in action for the first time since December as they thwarted the missiles out of the air.
The mobile, all-weather air defence system managed to bring down a number of the rockets.
The dome is made up of missile batteries which are shaped like giant match boxes and are tilted in the direction of Gaza.
The impressive Iron Dome is only set up to detect rockets heading towards highly populated regions in Israel such as Tel Aviv or Jerusalem.
Pictures from Israeli media show a huge crater in the town of Kfar Saba that is thought to have come from one of the blasts.
Missile fragments were also found in civilian’s gardens in Herzliya – a more rural part of the country.
Israel’s ambulance service, Magen David Adom, announced that several people had suffered acute anxiety due to the warnings.
The latest attack comes after Israel was told to immediately cease its operation in Rafah, a southern part of the Gaza Strip where countless Palestinians have been sheltering.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) said the humanitarian crisis in Rafah had “deteriorated further”, with the situation now “disastrous”.
ICJ President Nawaf Salam said: “Israel must immediately halt its military offensive.”
What is the Iron Dome?
The Iron Dome is a mobile, all-weather air defence system in Israel designed to intercept and destroy short-range rockets and 155mm artillery shells fired from a distance of 4km to 70km.
It intercepts rockets that are travelling in the direction of a urban areas and brings them down – it is the first system of its kind in the world.
Developed by Rafael Advanced Defence Systems, if can be operated in all weather conditions including fog, dust storm, low clouds and rain.
The system was ready for use in March 2011 and in April it had successfully intercepted a BM-21 Grad launched from Gaza for the first time.
The Jerusalem Post reported that the Iron Dome had shot down 90 per cent of rockets launched from Gaza that would have landed in populated areas.
It is part of a future multi-tiered missile defence system being developed by Israel, but each interception rocket launch costs $50,000.
The dome is made up of missile batteries which are shaped like giant match boxes and are tilted in the direction of Gaza.
It can detect a target using radar and monitors its trajectory.
A control centre then calculates an interception point and then commands a rocket to launch if the foreign missile is heading towards an urban area.
Once in contact with the missile, the rocket explodes and brings it down.
Each launcher contains 20 Tamir Missiles with proximity war heads and there are several batteries positioned around the country.
Since being implemented in 2011 the computer systems have been updated, improved and upgrades to improve the accuracy of the rockets.
The global court accused Israel of limiting aid to Gaza, which they deny.
Chief ICC prosecutor Karim Khan had requested arrest warrants for Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu for alleged war crimes in the Strip.
Hamas leaders were also included in the requests for international warrants.
The assault on Rafah in recent weeks comes as the IDF looks to seek and destroy any last remnants of Hamas so the war can be over.
Israel says the city is Hamas’ last major stronghold in the Gaza Strip.
They have been “eliminating terrorists” and “terrorist infrastructure” with hundreds of “terror targets” already being hit.
Repeated airstrikes have also been ongoing since the start on May with three “significant” tunnel shafts also being found.
Military tanks encircled the entire eastern half of the refugee-filled city as the planned assault started.
It is believed the remaining hostages are still being held underground inside the web of Hamas hideouts.
Israel has claimed around 120 hostages are still trapped in Rafah with pressure increasing for them to be finally saved after more than 230 days.
Many of these include young girls and the elderly.
Netanyahu says his country will continue to “fight with our fingernails” despite international authorities calling for a ceasefire.
The death toll of Israel’s military operation in Gaza has now passed at least 35,000 Palestinian civilians, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
TIMELINE OF WAR SO FAR
Oct 7, 2023: Hamas gunmen launch horror attack killing thousands of innocent civilians and taking hostages
Oct 7, 2023: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel is at war and prepares revenge airstrikes on Gaza
Oct 19, 2023: Yemen’s Houthi terror groups start attacking cargo ships in the Red Sea linked to Israel including US and UK vessels
Oct 21, 2023: Aid trucks are sent through the Rafah border into Gaza
Oct 27, 2023: Israel launches ground offensive in Gaza
Nov 1, 2023: People try to evacuate Gaza completely as war ramps up but many forced to stay
Nov 15, 2023: Israeli troops enter Gaza’s biggest hospital, Al Shifa, after a siege of several days as they believe Hamas are working inside
Nov 21, 2023: Israel and Hamas announce a ceasefire to last seven days and see the exchange of hostages and Palestinian prisoners
Nov 2023: Truce ends with only half of hostages returned
Dec 1, 2023: Fighting starts up again with first round of airstrikes in weeks
Dec 4, 2023: Israeli forces launch huge ground assault in southern Gaza, towards the main southern city of Khan Younis
Dec 12, 2023: Countries call on Israel to find a new ceasefire deal to stop civilian casualties
Jan 11, 2024: US and British warplanes, ships and submarines launch retaliatory strikes across Yemen
Feb 29, 2024: More than 100 Gazans die as they queued for humanitarian aid with Israel and Hamas having different views on what happened
April 1, 2024: Israeli air strikes kill seven aid workers for the World Central Kitchen charity
April 1, 2024: Iran’s embassy hit in Damascus by a suspected Israeli airstrike killing several military officers and a top general
April 13, 2024: Tehran responds to the embassy strike by firing hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel but most are intercepted
April 19, 2024: Israel hits back at Iran with precision strike near a nuclear site in Isfahan
April 23, 2024: Israel gear up for six-week assault on Rafah
April 24, 2024: Hostage claims 70 people held captive have died after being bombed
April 29, 2024: Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu could be issued with an international arrest warrant over alleged war crimes in Gaza
May 4, 2024: Hamas claim ceasefire deal has been agreed before Israel labels the move a “ruse” and shuts down any negotiations
May 10, 2024: Hundreds of thousands of Rafah civilians told to flee city as Israel prepares planned assault to eliminate all of Hamas
May 17, 2024: Several bodies of slaughtered Israeli civilians are discovered in Gaza and returned home to their loved ones
May 19, 2024: Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas terror chief Yahya Sinwar face arrests on war crime charges
May 22, 2024: Parents of Israeli hostages release video of Hamas thugs threatening to rape female soldiers they’ve captured and left bloodied