WW3 fears: Rockets fired from Gaza at Israel – Is the world on brink of war? – Express.co.uk

At least four rockets were fired at Israel from the Gaza Strip on Wednesday according to the Israeli military. Israel then responded with airstrikes against facilities belonging to the Hamas militant group.

Despite the tit-for-tat attacks, no one was injured on either side of the Israel-Gaza border.

The Israeli military said in a statement their Iron Dome air defence system had shot down two of the rockets.

Israel's Channel 13 television said the other two struck uninhabited areas.

Warning sirens sounded in Israeli communities close to Gaza, pre-empting the rocket impacts.

Read More:US President's fury with UK after Middle East intervention revealed

Israel's Magen David Adom ambulance service said no injuries or damage were reported in the first such attack in three weeks.

The Gaza Strip did not immediately claim responsibility for the attack.

Israel keeps the Strip under blockade stating this is due to security concerns over Hamas - the dominant armed movement in the Palestinian territory.

The Israeli military said in response to the rocket attack, its warplanes struck several "Hamas terror targets" in the northern Gaza Strip, including a weapons manufacturing facility and an armed compound.

Ehud Yaari, an Israel-based fellow of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy told the New York Times: They have a tendency to try and stretch the terms and improve what theyre getting by flexing their muscles.

However, it could be a stray rocket killing innocent civilians or political changes could trigger all-out conflict.

Elsewhere, tensions have grown of late following the US assassination of a top Iranian general and the retaliation against US airbases in Iraq.

However, the conflict between the US and Iran has appeared to have eased, despite harsh sanctions imposed on the Middle Eastern country by President Donald Trump.

Now attentions have turned to Iran withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal - which has resulted in the UK, Germany and France accusing the country of breaking the agreement or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) as it is known.

The 2015 nuclear accord limits Irans nuclear capabilities but a statement released from Tehran on January 5 read: From here on, Iran's nuclear program will be developed solely based on its technical needs.

Now a joint statement from Britain, France and Germany threatened action against Iran for this move away from compliance.

The statement said they had warned Iran on December 6 unless it reversed course, we would have no choice but to take action, but Iran has chosen to further reduce compliance.

On Tuesday, the countries set in motion the nuclear deals dispute resolution process, stating, in good faith, with the overarching objective of preserving the JCPOA and in the sincere hope of finding a way forward through constructive diplomatic dialogue.

The countries said they did not agree with Mr Trump withdrawing from the JCPOA in 2018 and added they would not be adding to his campaign of maximum pressure to the detriment of Irans economy.

They said: Our hope is to bring Iran back into full compliance.

As yet there has been no response from Iran on the statement.

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WW3 fears: Rockets fired from Gaza at Israel - Is the world on brink of war? - Express.co.uk