Israel fires back at targets on Gaza strip after rocket injures seven and destroys family home

Israel has begun strikes on Hamas targets in the Gaza strip after a rocket hit a house in the centre of the country overnight, injuring several people.

The country's prime minister said on Monday it was responding "forcefully" to the attack which wounded at least seven people including members of a British-Israeli family.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he was "appalled" by what he described as a "terrorist attack", while Britain's ambassador to Israel said there was "no justification" for the strike.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced he was cutting short a three-day diplomatic visit to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House following the attack, prompting Israel's military to launch its own strikes on Gaza, which is controlled by the militant Islamic group Hamas.

Speaking at the White House, Mr Netanyahu said he will "not tolerate" the rocket strike, which struck a home in central Israel early on Monday.

"As we speak," he said, "Israel is responding forcefully to this wanton aggression."

He said Israel will do "whatever we must do" to defend itself.

The military has started striking Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas' leader says his group would respond if Israel retaliated too forcefully.

Ismail Haniyeh said in a written statement that the Palestinian people "will not surrender" and its militant factions "will deter the enemy if it exceeds the red lines".

The Israeli military had earlier reinforced its troops along the Gaza border and calling up reserves after a rocket attack on an Israeli home.

Military spokesman major Mika Lifshitz said two armoured and infantry brigades were being mobilised and that there is a limited drafting of reserves under way following the attack, which destroyed a house and left seven people wounded in central Israel.

She said the military has concluded that Gaza's militant Hamas rulers fired the rocket from one of their launching pads in the southern part of the coastal strip, near Rafah.

Maj Lifshitz said it was a self-manufactured rocket with a range of about 75 miles.

The rocket destroyed a residential home in the farming community of Mishmeret, north of the city of Kfar Saba, wounding six members of a family.

The Magen David Adom rescue service said it was treating seven people, including two women who were moderately wounded.

The others, including two children and an infant, had minor wounds.

"It's a miracle that nobody got killed," said Assi Dvilanski, a paramedic who was one of the emergency personnel at the scene.

Writing on Twitter, Mr Hunt said: "Appalled by terrorist attack from Gaza against civilians, including British-Israeli dual nationals. My thoughts are with all those affected.

Completely UNACCEPTABLE actions by militant groups."

A Foreign Office (FCO) spokesman said they were unable to provide any further information about the injuries sustained by the family, nor comment on claims children were among those hurt.

David Quarrey, the British ambassador to Israel, said in a statement: "We unequivocally condemn today's rocket attack into Israel from Gaza.

"Our thoughts are with the British-Israeli family whose house in Mishmeret was hit.

"There can be no justification of any kind for this attack, whose consequences could have been devastating."

Alistair Burt, minister of state for the Middle East, said: "I condemn the rocket attack from Gaza, which destroyed a family home in Mishmeret with innocent civilians inside.

"Shocked to hear that dual British-Israeli citizens are among those injured.

"Such acts are unacceptable and part of a hopeless cycle of violence and suffering."

US vice president Mike Pence said the rocket attack "proves that Hamas is not a partner for peace".