Israeli military begins striking Hamas targets in Gaza

The Israeli military says it has begun striking Hamas targets throughout Gaza. 

According to Gaza’s ministry of information, the raids targeted the northern part of the Gaza Strip. 

Residents there reported hearing the sounds of explosions on Monday evening.

The move came after a rocket, allegedly fired from the Gaza Strip, struck a home in central Israel on Monday, wounding seven.

Israel has blamed Hamas for the attack. 

Ashraf al-Qudrah, spokesperson for Gaza’s health ministry, said hospitals and medical points across the strip are ready and on high alert. 

The health ministry has also called on residents to take precautions as Israel behins to launch strikes across Gaza. 

Al Jazeera’s Harry Fawcett, reporting from the Gaza-Israel border, said Israeli officials issued similar warnings to residents on the Israeli side. 

“We’ve seen several plumes of smoke coming up from the Gaza skyline behind us and we’ve seen confirmation from the Israeli military that these strikes have begun. 

“Everywhere within a 40 kilometre radius of the Israel-Gaza border on [Israel’s] side has been told to open up bomb shelters in the expectation of potential rocket fire coming back in response from inside Gaza,” he said. 

Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to make an announcement shortly from the White House, where he is visiting US President Donald Trump. 

More soon…

Additional reporting by Maram Humaid