Islamic Jihad militants in Gaza fired more than 50 rockets at southern Israel on Wednesday, prompting a sharp warning from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The escalation came just hours after British Prime Minister David Cameron arrived on his first official visit to the region since taking over as premier in 2010.
It was the heaviest barrage of cross-border rocket fire since a major eight-day confrontation in November 2012 between Israel and militants from Gaza's ruling Hamas movement.
The rocket attack was claimed by Islamic Jihad's armed wing, which said it was in response to an Israeli air strike on Tuesday which killed three of its militants in southern Gaza.
An Israeli security source told AFP that militants had fired more than 50 rockets "in close succession", targeting areas all over the south.
"It has now passed the 50 mark and they are continuing to fire," he told AFP as tens of thousands of people living in southern Israel rushed to seek shelter from the bombardment.
The Israeli army put the number at "more than 30 rockets", saying eight of them had struck urban areas, and another three were intercepted by the Iron Dome anti-missile system.
Police said the rocket fire fell in several waves along the length of Israel's border with Gaza and that one struck near a public library in the town of Sderot, while another hit near a petrol station in another area.
There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.
Israel routinely responds to heavy rocket fire from Gaza with retaliatory air strikes, but so far, there were no reports of aerial activity over the territory on Wednesday.
The attack began shortly after Netanyahu and Cameron addressed the parliament, and prompted a stern warning from the Israeli leader who pledged to act "with great force" against those seeking to harm Israel, a statement from his office said.
"We will continue to strike those who want to harm us, we'll act against them very forcefully," he was quoted as saying in a separate statement communicated by his spokesman Ofir Gendelman.
"This is the biggest attack on Israel since the 2012 Operation Pillar of Defence," the military said on its Twitter feed, referring to the 2012 confrontation which claimed the lives of 177 Palestinians, mostly civilians, and six Israelis.
Speaking to Israel's private Channel 2 television, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Israel would have no choice but to reoccupy Gaza, from which it withdrew all troops and settlers in summer 2005.
"Following an attack like this -- a barrage of more than 50 rockets -- there is no alternative to a full reoccupation of the entire Gaza Strip," he said.
In Gaza, Islamic Jihad's armed wing the Al-Quds Brigades issued a statement claiming to have fired "70 rockets" at Israel.
It said its bombardment would continue in response to Israel's "aggression" in Tuesday's air strike.
Islamic Jihad militants in Gaza fired more than 50 rockets at southern Israel on Wednesday, prompting a sharp warning from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The escalation came just hours after British Prime Minister David Cameron arrived on his first official visit to the region since taking over as premier in 2010.
It was the heaviest barrage of cross-border rocket fire since a major eight-day confrontation in November 2012 between Israel and militants from Gaza’s ruling Hamas movement.
The rocket attack was claimed by Islamic Jihad’s armed wing, which said it was in response to an Israeli air strike on Tuesday which killed three of its militants in southern Gaza.
An Israeli security source told AFP that militants had fired more than 50 rockets “in close succession”, targeting areas all over the south.
“It has now passed the 50 mark and they are continuing to fire,” he told AFP as tens of thousands of people living in southern Israel rushed to seek shelter from the bombardment.
The Israeli army put the number at “more than 30 rockets”, saying eight of them had struck urban areas, and another three were intercepted by the Iron Dome anti-missile system.
Police said the rocket fire fell in several waves along the length of Israel’s border with Gaza and that one struck near a public library in the town of Sderot, while another hit near a petrol station in another area.
There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.
Israel routinely responds to heavy rocket fire from Gaza with retaliatory air strikes, but so far, there were no reports of aerial activity over the territory on Wednesday.
The attack began shortly after Netanyahu and Cameron addressed the parliament, and prompted a stern warning from the Israeli leader who pledged to act “with great force” against those seeking to harm Israel, a statement from his office said.
“We will continue to strike those who want to harm us, we’ll act against them very forcefully,” he was quoted as saying in a separate statement communicated by his spokesman Ofir Gendelman.
“This is the biggest attack on Israel since the 2012 Operation Pillar of Defence,” the military said on its Twitter feed, referring to the 2012 confrontation which claimed the lives of 177 Palestinians, mostly civilians, and six Israelis.
Speaking to Israel’s private Channel 2 television, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Israel would have no choice but to reoccupy Gaza, from which it withdrew all troops and settlers in summer 2005.
“Following an attack like this — a barrage of more than 50 rockets — there is no alternative to a full reoccupation of the entire Gaza Strip,” he said.
In Gaza, Islamic Jihad’s armed wing the Al-Quds Brigades issued a statement claiming to have fired “70 rockets” at Israel.
It said its bombardment would continue in response to Israel’s “aggression” in Tuesday’s air strike.
