Sirens sounds in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem with explosions heard

Sirens sounded on Monday in the Tel Aviv area and Jerusalem, and Reuters witnesses in the latter city heard explosions that may have been from rocket impacts or mid-air interceptions. The Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigade, the military wing of the Hamas militant group, has claimed responsibility for launching a barrage of missiles at Tel Aviv and Jerusalem in response to Israel’s airstrikes targeting civilians and residential homes, Al Arabiya on Monday. The group reportedly fired 120 missiles at Israeli cities Ashdod and Ashkelon in retaliation for the ongoing Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Sirens were heard in Jerusalem and throughout Israel, with witnesses reporting explosions. Online videos showed smoke rising from Ben Gurion Airport, Israel’s main international gateway, but flight operations remained unaffected. Israel’s aviation authority stated that a missile was intercepted near the airport, and no terminals were impacted. In response to one of the largest incursions on occupation forces in years, Israel launched numerous rockets towards the Gaza Strip following a surprise attack by Hamas on Saturday, which resulted in casualties.