Israeli Army Claims It Intercepted 'Suspicious Ariel Target' Launched From East

The Israeli army claimed Saturday that it intercepted a "suspicious ariel target" launched from the east toward Israel.

"Israeli Defense Forces intercepted a suspicious target launched from the east towards Israeli territory last night (early Saturday)," it said in a statement.

"The Air Force launched an interception missile towards the target, which did not cross into Israeli territory," it said. "Alert status was activated in the Na'ura area, and there were no casualties."

Army radio reported that Shiite militias in Iraq claimed responsibility for the rocket launch.

Earlier in the day, a Shiite militia supported by Iran called the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, claimed it "targeted an object in the occupied city of Haifa using the al-Arqab missile (developed cruise missile)."

"This is in continuation of our approach to resist the occupation and to support our people in Palestine, in response to the massacres committed by the usurping entity against civilians, including children, women, and elderly," the group added.

Nearly 37,300 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza by the Israeli forces since October, most of them women and children, and almost 85,200 others injured, according to local health authorities.

More than eight months into the Israeli onslaught, vast tracts of Gaza lay in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, whose latest ruling ordered Tel Aviv to immediately halt its operation in Rafah, where more than 1 million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on May 6.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala in Istanbul -