Iron Dome intercepts missiles launched in retaliation by Palestinian resistance forces on 11 May 2021, during the 11-day war. (Photo credit: Mahmud Hams/AFP via Getty Images)
In the early hours of 21 April, Israel launched airstrikes on the Gaza Strip using UAVs and Merkava tanks, following reports that the Palestinian resistance had launched a rocket attack in retaliation for the ongoing Israeli aggression in the West Bank and Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Palestinian resistance sources, however, told Al Mayadeen that they did not launch rockets into the settlements surrounding Gaza, but instead fired anti-aircraft shells and opened fire in the direction of the surrounding settlements, which triggered the sensitive radars of the Iron Dome system.
Several Iron Dome air defense batteries were released, despite no rockets being fired. With a full Iron Dome battery unit costing $50 million and each missile costing $40,000 to $100,000, the Palestinian resistance was able to create a costly waste of the Israeli military’s resources.
As noticed, all twenty self-destructed with no evidence of interceptions.
Gaza reports no rockets fired, and the AA bullets have activated the Iron Dome. Updates to follow. pic.twitter.com/sh7U4iIhtp
— Lebanese News and Updates (@LebUpdate) April 20, 2022
The Israeli airstrikes inside Gaza amounted to 10 missiles, according to Palestinian media, and struck the central area of the besieged enclave.
“Israeli unmanned aerial vehicles bombed a resistance site West of Nuseirat Camp, Gaza,” stated Al Mayadeen‘s Gaza correspondent, who additionally reported that tank fire targeted several locations in the same region.
The Israeli aggression prompted the Palestinian resistance to launch several anti-aircraft shells and surface-to-air missiles to repel the attack, triggering the sirens of the surrounding Israeli settlements.
Israeli media later admitted that the sirens went off despite no rocket being fired from Gaza that night.
This marks the second time that Israel has struck Gaza since Palestinian forces retaliated for the ongoing violent repression of Palestinians at Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli forces since the start of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
On 18 April, Palestinian resistance factions launched retaliatory missiles into the settlements surrounding Gaza after several warnings were issued to the Israeli authorities that the violations in Al-Aqsa would not go unanswered.
This was followed by an Israeli aerial assault on Gaza in the early hours of 19 April.