Hamas have claimed responsibility for a rocket, fired by affiliate Al-Ayyash Birigade, from Jenin on Thursday.
The IDF have confirmed that remains of a rocket were found near the Palestinian town of Silat al-Harathiya, noting that the rocket had not entered Israeli territory. The rocket was intended to reach Ram-On, a northern Israeli town near the West Bank security barrier.
Israeli sappers safely removed the projectile.
The Al-Ayyash Brigade showcased the projectile mounted on a rocket launcher in a Telegram video. On social media, they called the rocket “Qassam 1”, pictured in front of the Israeli town of Shaked.
The rocket was not explosive, and although it fell short of 100 metres, rocket remains found from a launch on the 9th of July near Ram-On suggest that terrorist groups are able to cover some distance.
The launch follows a string of mostly failed rocket-launching attempts.
The group called the attempt a response to visits to the Temple Mount during Tisha B’Av, led by Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. Jewish prayer is prohibited at the holy site – the historic location of two Jewish Temples and the current site of the Al Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest in Islam.
The Al-Ayyash Brigade adopted its moniker from a supposed Hamas bombmaker who was killed by the IDF.
