Rockets rain from Gaza as Israeli forces kills Palestinian militant group leader

Israeli forces killed a top commander of a Palestinian militant group on November 12, in the Gaza strip backed by Iran. It was the worst cross border fighting in months where day-long rocket strikes were launched. The targeted strike killed Islamic Jihad's Baha Abu Al-Atta in Gaza according to the Syrian state media and also confirmed that a separate missile attack had struck the home of the Islamic Jihad official in Damascus killing two people including one of his sons. Syria said Israel carried out the Damascus strike and Israel did not comment anything about it.

READ: Israel Lets In Gaza Workers With Merchant Permits, Tensions Ease Out

Rocket fires and airstrikes continued throughout the night

The rocket fires and airstrikes continued throughout the night taking the lives of 10 Palestinians including Al-Atta and his wife, according to the Gaza medical officials. Nearly 25 Israeli civilians were hurt in the Gaza rocket strikes that reached as far as Tel Aviv. The Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu said Al-Atta was responsible for a series of cross-border attacks and was believed to be planning more. Netanyahu said Israel is not interested in any escalation but said they will do everything to defend themselves. Israel has carried out two planned attacks in Syria and Gaza and has fought a war against them. The recent violence has ended up with the help of Egyptian and UN mediation.

READ: Israeli Airstrike Kills Islamic Jihad Commander In Gaza Home

UN intervened to de-escalate the situation

The UN intervened throughout the day to de-escalate the situation. Hamas, the Islamist group that rules Gaza, joined Islamic Jihad in condemning Israel. The airstrikes in Gaza which the Israeli military said targeted Islamic Jihad gunmen and various sites belonging to the group killed eight more Palestinian men. The militant group confirmed that four of those men were its members and the residents of Gaza said the others belonged to another armed group. The sites hit by the rocket includes a toy factory in the border town of Sderot and a highway where CCTV footage shows a bus escaping the impact. The Israeli military said about 200 rockets were fired at Israel, some of them reaching the country's financial hub, Tel Aviv.

READ: Health Officials Say Gaza Teen Electrocuted During Rainfall

READ: Israel Quietly Lets In Gaza Workers In Bid To Ease Tensions