ISRAEL RESPONDS IN KIND TO HAMAS MISSILE STRIKES
ISRAEL launched air strikes on the Palestinian enclave of Gaza and deployed extra troops to the border in response to the longest-range Hamas rocket attack to cause casualties in years.
After a day of intense fighting, Palestinian officials said Egypt had mediated a ceasefire, though the frontier did not remain calm for long.
Rocket sirens sounded in southern Israel after the latenight truce was supposed to take effect, sending residents running for shelter. In Gaza, Palestinians reported Israeli planes attacked targets.
Hamas, the Islamist militant group that rules Gaza, and smaller Palestinian factions put out a statement that Egypt had mediated a ceasefire even as the rockets were fired.
Israeli officials did not comment on whether a truce had been reached.
The violence began when seven Israelis were wounded near Tel Aviv by a morning rocket attack. The Gaza health ministry said five Palestinians were later wounded by a wave of retaliatory strikes.
Dozens of explosions rocked the coastal enclave and ambulance sirens echoed in the mostly empty streets. The office of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh was one initial target hit, but he was likely to have been evacuated earlier.
Gaza militants fired barrages of rockets into Israel late into the night. Some were shot down by Israeli defences and others landed in empty areas.
The escalation came two weeks before an election in which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is fighting for his political life after a decade in power, campaigning on a tough line against Palestinian militants.
Mr Netanyahu cut short his US visit to fly home after meeting President Donald Trump.