ISTANBUL

The Israeli army claimed on Saturday that it successfully intercepted a rocket launched from southern Gaza toward the Karm Abu Salem military site.

In a statement, the army said its air defense system "successfully shot down the rocket after hearing the sound of sirens in the area."

The Israeli army confirmed that sirens were activated in the Karm Abu Salem region located along the southern Gaza border as well as in the nearby illegal settlement of Sderot.

The Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation added that a false alarm was also triggered in the Gaza perimeter area.

The daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported that sirens sounded twice in less than an hour in areas surrounding Gaza before the interception was confirmed by the army.

No immediate statement was released by Palestinian factions in Gaza regarding the rocket attack.

The Israeli army has continued a genocidal war on Gaza that has killed over 46,000 people, mostly women and children, since Oct. 7, 2023, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.

In November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi