News - Middle East: President Mahdi Al-Mashat affirmed on Wednesday the support of Yemen, its leadership, government and people, for all the options taken by the leadership of the Palestinian resistance to deter the Zionist enemy.

Al-Mashat blessed the Palestinian resistance factions for their legitimate response to the crime of the Zionist enemy against the commanders of the Palestinian resistance.

"This Zionist behavior confirms to all the people of our Arab and Islamic Nation that it is an extension of the criminal Jewish psyche that pursues murder, treachery, and breaking of covenants," he added.

Al-Mashat also called on the Arab and Islamic countries to take positions in support of the Palestinian people and their resistance, support them with money and weapons, and boycott American and Israeli goods.

He praised the unity of the popular Palestinian position and the Palestinian resistance movements in responding to and deterring the Zionist enemy. “It is an important step towards the victory of Al-Quds and the restoration of the rights of the oppressed Palestinian People.”

In this regard, Palestinian resistance groups in Gaza have fired a batch of rockets towards Israeli cities in retaliation for the regime's deadly air raids on the besieged coastal enclave, hitting targets as far as Tel Aviv.

Gaza's joint command of Palestinian resistance groups claimed responsibility for firing rockets at Israel, saying in a statement it had fired “hundreds” of rockets towards the occupied Palestinian territories, including Tel Aviv, in an operation codenamed “revenge of the free.”

Israel’s minister of military affairs says at least 400 rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip towards Israel. 

According to Israeli media, explosions were heard in several areas in the vicinity of Tel Aviv. 

The al-Mayadeen television news network reported that rockets had damaged a house in Tel Aviv.

Rocket attacks also caused massive destruction in Ashkelon, with reports saying 16 people were injured there. 

Earlier on Wednesday, the first round of Palestinian rocket attacks targeted towns and settlements around Gaza, including Ashdod, Ashkelon, Sderot, Netivot and Miflassim.

Meanwhile, the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported that damage was caused to a building by a rocket in Eshkol. Israel’s Channel 13 said that a house in Sderot was damaged by a rocket falling on it. It also said that a fire broke out in the Ashkelon coast region after a rocket hit the area.  

Reporting on the damage caused by rockets, the Jerusalem Post said Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport’s activity was briefly disrupted following rocket fire from Gaza.

Israeli hospitals announced that at least five settlers were hospitalized following the rocket fire, according to media reports. Israeli media also reported that a house was hit in Sderot.

The retaliation came as Israeli warplanes continued to hit targets in Gaza for a second day running.

The regime said it targeted rocket launching infrastructure operated by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the group’s members.

Four of those killed on Wednesday were fighters with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the group said in a statement.

According to the Palestinian ministry of health, a total of 21 people have been killed over the past two days as a result of Israeli bombardments while some 64 others have been wounded in the Israeli raids.

Three senior members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad were among those martyred on Tuesday, prompting calls from the resistance groups to retaliate for the strikes. Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said on Tuesday that "assassinating the leadership" in Gaza would bring "greater resistance."