Hamas official: Iran ordered rocket attack on central Israel - report

The attack on Mishmeret, which destroyed a home, left eight people injured including two infants.

By ILANIT CHERNICK
A house is taken care of by the Fire Department after being hit by rocket fire coming from the Gaza Strip, Moshav Herut, March 25, 2019. (photo credit: FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE)
A house is taken care of by the Fire Department after being hit by rocket fire coming from the Gaza Strip, Moshav Herut, March 25, 2019.
(photo credit: FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE)
A senior Hamas official, speaking anonymously to Israel Hayom on Tuesday, claimed that the rocket which struck a moshav in central Israel on Monday was ordered by Iran.
Hamas reportedly gave its blessing for the rocket attack in hopes of disrupting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's election campaign.
The rocket attack on Mishmeret, which hit and destroyed a home, left seven family members injured, including two infants, as well as a neighboring child.
He claimed that Iran "went over the heads” of Hamas leadership and ordered an Islamic Jihad cell operating out of the Gaza Strip to carry out the attack.
While senior officials in both Egypt and Gaza confirmed that Iran had ordered the attack, they claimed that the Hamas leadership was aware of the plans to fire a rocket deep into Israeli territory.
This has led to a major escalation of the conflict between Israel and Gaza.
The official claimed that Hamas leaders gave their blessing to the attack.
The senior Hamas official told Israel Hayom that Hamas also hoped the sudden escalation would harm Netanyahu's chance of remaining in office in next month’s Knesset election on April 9.