PHOTO: Hamas missile launch pad near mosque, playground

By Aaron Klein

TEL AVIV – A missile launch site in the Gaza Strip was set up by Hamas just half a block from a mosque and children’s playground, according to aerial photographs provided to WND by the Israel Defense Forces today.

Israel yesterday struck the site in question – a Fajr-5 missile launch pad established to fire long-range rockets into the Jewish state.

The photograph shows a children’s playground and a mosque located about a half a block away as well as two civilian factories and a gas station also within a half-a-block radius.

Earlier today, the Iranian-backed Islamic jihad group today claimed responsibility firing Fajr-5 missiles aimed at Tel Aviv.

Also today, one rocket launched from the Gaza Strip landed in Rishon Letzion, some seven miles south of Tel Aviv. About three hours later, another explosion was heard in the Tel Aviv area.

No casualties were reported in either Tel Aviv or Rishon Leztion.

Since yesterday, Israel’s Iron Dome anti-missile defense system has intercepted 105 rockets, while 274 rockets have struck Israel, mostly in cities near the Gaza Strip.

The escalation began last week, when Hamas fired more than 120 rockets and mortars into Israel in a four-day period

Aaron Klein

Aaron Klein is WND's senior staff writer and Jerusalem bureau chief. He also hosts "Aaron Klein Investigative Radio" on Salem Talk Radio. Follow Aaron on Twitter and Facebook. Read more of Aaron Klein's articles here.


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