The US State Department condemned on Saturday the recent round of rockets launched into Israel overnight from Gaza.In apparent response to the ongoing violence erupting in Jerusalem, a barrage of 36 rockets were launched from the coastal enclave into southern Israel from the late hours of Friday night to the early morning hours of Saturday, sounding sirens across the region."We condemn the rocket fire from Gaza into Israel," it wrote on Twitter. "There is no justification for such attacks."
Six of the rockets were intercepted throughout the night. Most of them landed in open fields and were fired to short ranges.
In retaliation to the rocket fire, an IDF tank attacked a Hamas outpost as IAF aircraft struck rocket launchers throughout the night.The first three launches were detected as coming from the Gaza Strip and falling near the town of Kisufim, in the Eshkol Regional Council. The IDF's Iron Dome missile-defense system intercepted one of them. The other two fell in open areas near the border fence.Later on Friday night, at around 1:50 a.m., additional sirens were heard at Alumim, Be'eri, Kfar Maimon, and Tushiya, in the Sdot Negev and Eshkol regional councils. Minutes later, more sirens were heard in Mivtahim, Amioz, Yesha, Nir Yitzhak, Tzohar, and Ohad, all in the Eshkol Regional Council.
Zachary Keyser, Udi Shaham, Idan Zonshine and Gadi Zaig contributed to this report.