Militant groups claim rocket fire into Israel

Militant groups in the Gaza Strip claimed responsibility for a barrage of rockets fire into south Israel on Friday and Saturday, as Gaza contended with a bout of fighting that killed 15 Palestinians. The factions said the rockets were in response to the assasination of Popular Resistance Committees chief Zuhair Qaisi on Friday. Around 100 rockets have hit southern Israel as Israeli warplanes bombard the Gaza Strip, wounding 26 Palestinians and four Israelis. Five Palestinians and one Israeli are seriously injured. In statements to the media on Saturday, the PRC armed wing said it had fired 29 rockets into Israel, while the PFLP's brigades said it fired two rockets towards Israeli cities. The Ayman Juda group within the Al-Aqsa brigades, and another group identified as brigades of martyr Abdul Qader Al-Hussaini also claimed responsibility for rocket fire. Earlier, Islamic Jihad’s military wing -- which has been targetted by the airstrikes -- said it had fired 41 Grad missiles, 20 homemade projectiles, six mortar shells, and three 107-mm rockets at Israeli targets. Around 30 were intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system, Israeli media reported.