JERUSALEM — The Latest on Israel-Gaza (all times local):

Israeli defence officials said after a preliminary investigation that the Gaza rockets that hit the Tel Aviv area were apparently fired by mistake.

The officials were quoted Friday in Israeli media. The Israeli military declined to comment on the reports.

It was not immediately clear if the rocket fire was a result of human error or technical malfunction. The Israeli daily Haaretz quoted the officials as saying the two rockets were fired during maintenance work.

The apparent misfire came as Gaza’s Hamas rulers were in negotiations with Egyptian mediators about a truce deal with Israel. The assessment indicated that Hamas had no intention of escalating violence with Israel.

Earlier, the military had held Hamas responsible for the rocket fire at Tel Aviv, the first such attack in five years.

A Hamas official says an agreement to restore calm between Gaza militants and Israel has been reached.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity Friday because the Islamic militant group is yet to announce, said Egypt led meditation efforts “that have apparently paid off.”

After about 7:30 a.m. Friday, there were no reports of outgoing Palestinian rocket attacks or Israeli airstrikes.

In what appeared to be a step to bolster the Egyptian efforts, organizers announced the cancellation of the weekly protests along the Gaza-Israel frontier, an activity that has been going on for a year and has often led to a violence flare-up.

The Israeli military says it struck 100 Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip overnight in response to rocket fire.

The army said early Friday that targets included an office complex in Gaza City, an underground complex that served as Hamas’ main rocket-manufacturing site, and a centre used for a Hamas drone program.

The airstrikes followed a rare rocket attack on the Israeli metropolis of Tel Aviv late Thursday. Israel says Hamas fired the rockets, though Hamas and a smaller militant group, Islamic Jihad, both denied involvement.

The fighting broke out amid Egyptian efforts to broker an expanded cease-fire deal between the bitter enemies, who last fought a war in 2014.

Several barrages of rocket fire continued during the night.</s>JERUSALEM (AP) — The Latest on Israel-Gaza (all times local):

Israeli defense officials said after a preliminary investigation that the Gaza rockets that hit the Tel Aviv area were apparently fired by mistake.

The officials were quoted Friday in Israeli media. The Israeli military declined to comment on the reports.

It was not immediately clear if the rocket fire was a result of human error or technical malfunction. The Israeli daily Haaretz quoted the officials as saying the two rockets were fired during maintenance work.

The apparent misfire came as Gaza's Hamas rulers were in negotiations with Egyptian mediators about a truce deal with Israel. The assessment indicated that Hamas had no intention of escalating violence with Israel.

Earlier, the military had held Hamas responsible for the rocket fire at Tel Aviv, the first such attack in five years.

A Hamas official says an agreement to restore calm between Gaza militants and Israel has been reached.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity Friday because the Islamic militant group is yet to announce, said Egypt led meditation efforts "that have apparently paid off."

After about 7:30 a.m. Friday, there were no reports of outgoing Palestinian rocket attacks or Israeli airstrikes.

In what appeared to be a step to bolster the Egyptian efforts, organizers announced the cancellation of the weekly protests along the Gaza-Israel frontier, an activity that has been going on for a year and has often led to a violence flare-up.

The Israeli military says it struck 100 Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip overnight in response to rocket fire.

The army said early Friday that targets included an office complex in Gaza City, an underground complex that served as Hamas' main rocket-manufacturing site, and a center used for a Hamas drone program.

The airstrikes followed a rare rocket attack on the Israeli metropolis of Tel Aviv late Thursday. Israel says Hamas fired the rockets, though Hamas and a smaller militant group, Islamic Jihad, both denied involvement.

The fighting broke out amid Egyptian efforts to broker an expanded cease-fire deal between the bitter enemies, who last fought a war in 2014.

Several barrages of rocket fire continued during the night.

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.</s>The Israeli military says it has begun attacking sites in the Gaza Strip in response to a rocket attack on Tel Aviv.

The attacks were taking place in the southern Gaza town of Khan Younis, about 15 miles south of Gaza City.

The warplanes could be heard flying overhead in Gaza City, where smoke from the explosions could be seen in the distance.

In a statement early Friday, the army said it was targeting "terror sites." It gave no further details.

Palestinian media said a Hamas naval base had been targeted.

There were no immediate reports of injuries.

Late Thursday, Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip fired two rockets toward Tel Aviv, the Israeli military said.

The rocket barrage triggered air raid sirens across the city, which is Israel's densely populated commercial and cultural capital.

No damage or injuries were reported. But it marked the first time that Tel Aviv, some 50 miles north of Gaza, has been targeted by rocket fire since a 2014 war with Gaza militants.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rushed to the military headquarters in Tel Aviv and was conferring with senior army officials about a response.

In Gaza, there was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Brig. Gen. Ronen Manelis, the Israeli army's chief spokesman, said officials had no prior warning of the attack and were trying to determine who fired the rockets. Israel holds Gaza's Hamas rulers responsible for all fire out of the territory.

Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai said he had ordered the city to open public air raid shelters as a protective measure. But he said there were no special instructions and encouraged residents to stick to their daily routines.

"Continue life as usual," he told Channel 10 TV. "Be calm, but be alert."

Gaza is controlled by Hamas, an Islamic militant group that seeks Israel's destruction. Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since Hamas sized control of Gaza in 2007. Hamas possesses a big arsenal of rockets and missiles, but it has sought to contain violence with Israel since the last war in 2014.

Hamas denied responsibility for the attack on Tel Aviv, saying the rockets were launched when the group's military wing was meeting with Egyptian mediators to try to strengthen a cease-fire between Gaza militants and Israel.

In an unusual step that indicated Hamas was attempting to prevent further escalation, the Hamas Interior Ministry said the rocket fire went "against the national consensus" and promised to take action against the perpetuators.

Earlier this week, Israel struck Hamas targets in Gaza in response to rocket fire on southern Israel, near the border. Late Thursday, local media said that Egyptian mediators left the territory.

In addition to Hamas, Gaza is home to other militant groups. They include Salafists inspired by the Islamic State group, as well as Islamic Jihad, an Iranian-backed armed organization that also possesses a formidable rocket arsenal. The Islamic Jihad also denied involvement in Thursday's attack.

Earlier this week, Netanyahu issued a warning to Hamas, rejecting suggestions that Israel would be reluctant to take tough action in Gaza ahead of national elections next month.

"I suggest to Hamas, don't count on it," he told his Cabinet. "We will do anything necessary to restore security and quiet to the area adjacent to the Gaza Strip and to the south in general."</s>Tel Aviv, Israel, was under attack Thursday as two rockets were launched at the city from the Gaza Strip.

According to The Associated Press, Israel’s Channel 10 news said the missiles were Iranian-made Fajr rockets. Channel 10 did not name the source for its information.

The Jerusalem Post noted that pro-Iranian media also said they were Fajr rockets.

The attack was the first time air raid sirens had been activated in Tel Aviv since 2014, according to The Jerusalem Post. Air raid shelters were also opened after the attack.

No injuries were reported in the attacks, according to Haaretz.

The Iron Dome missile defense system was activated. Military officials initially said one missile had been intercepted but later retracted that.

One rocket might have gone into the sea, Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai told Israeli television, according to The Washington Post.

Brig. Gen. Ronen Manelis, an Israeli army spokesman, said Israel had no prior warning about the attack and was still trying to determine who was behind it.

Israeli Education Minister Naftali Bennett said Hamas should face a reckoning regardless of who claimed responsibility for the attack, according to Haaretz.

“No matter who stands behind tonight’s rockets, Hamas should be held accountable,” he said.

Jason Greenblatt, President Donald Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, echoed that sentiment in a tweet.

“Hamas violently suppresses its own people demonstrating against Hamas’ rule & failures today and NOW fires rockets at cities in Israel. OUTRAGEOUS!” he tweeted.

As reported by Fox News, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was meeting with military leaders and his advisers Thursday night to plan how Israel would respond to the attack.

Although Israel is facing elections in the coming weeks, they “will not be a factor” in any response, Yaakov Amidror, a former Israeli national security adviser, said, according to Bloomberg.

“All the candidates in the Jewish side of the parliament clearly will stand behind the decision to react,” Amidror said.

The attack also comes at a time when Netanyahu is facing charges of public corruption.

We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.</s>Israeli military aircraft bombed Hamas facilities in the Gaza Strip on Friday, hours after two rockets were launched from the Palestinian enclave at Tel Aviv in the first such attack since a 2014 war.

There was no immediate word of casualties in the air strikes that hit four buildings used by the dominant Islamist group's security forces, and which had been evacuated as a precaution.

Witnesses said powerful explosions from the air strikes rocked buildings in Gaza and lit the skies over targeted sites

The Israeli military said it was targeting "terror sites" in Gaza. In a possible sign of further escalation, it said rocket sirens were sounded in Israeli communities near the Gaza border.

On Thursday night, sirens howled farther north, in Tel Aviv, Israel's commercial capital, set off by what the military said were two incoming, longer-range rockets from Gaza.

That salvo caused no casualties or damage, missing built-up areas. But it rattled Israeli nerves ahead of an April 9 election in which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking a fifth term on the strength of his national security credentials.</s>JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli military says it has begun attacking sites in the Gaza Strip in response to a rocket attack on Tel Aviv.

The attacks were taking place in the southern Gaza town of Khan Younis, about 25 kilometers (15 miles) south of Gaza City.

The warplanes could be heard flying overhead in Gaza City, where smoke from the explosions could be seen in the distance.

In a statement early Friday, the army said it was targeting “terror sites.” It gave no further details.

Palestinian media said a Hamas naval base had been targeted.

There were no immediate reports of injuries.

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.</s>Gaza is controlled by Hamas, an Islamic militant group that considers Israel an illegitimate occupying force in Palestinian lands and seeks its destruction. Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since Hamas sized control of Gaza in 2007. Hamas possesses a big arsenal of rockets and missiles, but it has sought to contain violence with Israel since the last war in 2014.</s>TEL AVIV, Israel -- The Israeli military said air raid warning sirens were triggered in Tel Aviv on Thursday.

It was not immediately clear if the city was under attack or if a false alarm had set off the sirens.

Tel Aviv has not been attacked by rocket or missile fire since a 2014 war with Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip.</s>Gaza is controlled by Hamas, an Islamic militant group that considers Israel an illegitimate occupying force in Palestinian lands and seeks its destruction. Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since Hamas sized control of Gaza in 2007. Hamas possesses a big arsenal of rockets and missiles, but it has sought to contain violence with Israel since the last war in 2014.</s>The launch of two rockets toward Tel Aviv Thursday evening that triggered rocket alarms in the city for the first time since 2014 caught residents by surprise, with many saying they had trouble believing it was an actual incident and not a drill or a technical malfunction.

Many residents of Israel’s second-largest city and the surrounding metropolis of Gush Dan rushed to bomb shelters and reported hearing explosions. The rockets both hit open areas, and did not cause casualties. However, five people were treated for shock by paramedics.

“I was at a friend’s. We heard a siren and we were sure it was a military drill,” Yifat, a resident of the Florentin neighborhood, was quoted as saying by the Ynet news site. “We went to the staircase, so did the neighbors and nobody knew if it was real.

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“We heard two explosions that shook the building. One of the neighbors started crying. The dogs panicked.”

Ma’ayan Nissim also said that at first she didn’t believe there was an alarm until news reports began coming in.

“We were startled. I straight away went out to the balcony and my husband shouted at me to go into the bomb shelter. We heard a loud bang and understood there may have been rockets fired,” she said, adding that her friends who had been at restaurants didn’t even get up because they couldn’t believe the alarm was real.

The confusion was perhaps most pronounced at a local theater, where the sirens interrupted the play “Oresteia,” a Greek tragedy dealing with an endless war, right after one of the characters declared war.

“Real life interrupted the show,” Lena Kreindlin, the director of the Gesher Theater, told the Walla site. “Two minutes before a recorded explosion was supposed to be sounded onstage, we heard the real alarm outside the hall. At first the audience didn’t take notice because they thought it was an ambulance siren or something.

“When we heard the explosion, we stopped the play for five minutes and told the audience to go close to the walls. We then continued the play. It was an unpleasant experience. Real life burst onto the stage,” she added.

A Euroleague basketball match between Israel’s top team Maccabi Tel Aviv and Turkey’s Anadolu Efes continued normally with 11,000 people in attendance who apparently did not hear the sirens.

Elsewhere, Aviv, a resident of the city center, told Channel 12: “My body is shaking. This must be about the elections. They are going to ruin the whole summer.”

Restaurant owner Dror Shabtai said that after the alarm, “People came into the restaurant, panicking and crying. A minute later there were two blasts. We weren’t ready for it, it came out of nowhere. But now everyone is already smiling and happy.”

It wasn’t immediately clear which group in Gaza was responsible for the surprise launch, which occurred on the eve of the weekly Hamas-spurred Friday mass rally against Israel along the Strip’s border.

Both the Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror groups denied being behind the launches, and no Palestinian faction took immediate responsibility.

The missile launches come less than a month before the April 9 Knesset elections, and two months before Tel Aviv is due to host the Eurovision Song Contest, a major international event that is expected to draw many thousands of tourists from all over Europe.

It was the first time rockets were fired at Tel Aviv since Operation Protective Edge in the summer of 2014; launches directed at residents of Israeli communities near Gaza have remain relatively frequent.
Two rockets are fired from the Gaza Strip at Tel Aviv, Israel; neither rocket was intercepted by the IDF's Iron Dome system.