27 Jan 2023 | 03:05 AM UTC
Israel, PT: Israeli forces launch airstrikes following rocket attack from Gaza Strip toward Ashkelon area early Jan. 27 /update 1
Israel Defense Forces conduct airstrikes against militants after rockets fired from Gaza Strip toward Ashkelon, Israel, early Jan. 27.
Event
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) conducted airstrikes against militants in the Gaza Strip Jan. 27. The airstrikes come after militants fired two rockets from the Gaza Strip toward Israel's Southern District earlier on Jan. 27. The projectiles triggered the activation of rocket alerts in Ashkelon and the nearby Zikim settlement area and Kibbutz Carmia. No damage or casualties have been reported in connection with the rocket attack.
Tensions remain high; further rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip and retaliatory strikes by the IDF remain likely over the coming hours. Heightened security measures are likely in Israel over the coming hours. Precautionary measures, such as evacuations, are possible in affected areas.
Context
The Jan. 27 rocket attack notably comes after Israeli forces killed nine Palestinians, including seven militants, in a raid in Jenin Jan. 26. The operation had the highest death toll of any incident in the West Bank in about 20 years. In response to the raid, the Palestinian Authority (PA) announced that it would cut security ties with Israel that it has maintained to curb militancy in the West Bank. The PA has limited control of parts of the West Bank and the territory's militant groups.
Authorities in Israel have bolstered security nationwide in the aftermath of several terror attacks since March 2022, launching frequent raids in the West Bank and imposing movement restrictions on some Palestinian communities to degrade Palestinian militant groups' capabilities to launch attacks.
Advice
Monitor local media and abide by security forces' directives. If incoming mortar rounds or rockets are reported or warning sirens sound in the general vicinity, report to the nearest bomb shelter and await further instructions from authorities. If there is no shelter nearby, stay indoors, away from windows and exterior walls. If possible, move to a ground floor or basement.
