Israel shot down a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip on Monday, the Israeli military said, the first such attack in months as tensions over a flashpoint Jerusalem shrine drew angry pro-Palestinian rhetoric from Jordan and US mediation efforts.
No Gaza faction claimed responsibility for the launch, which followed warnings by the dominant Hamas Islamists of reprisals for Israeli conduct around Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque compound.
Within hours, Israeli air strikes hit camps used by Hamas and another Gaza faction, Palestinian sources said. The military said one target was an arms manufacturing site. No one was hurt.
Since Friday, Al-Aqsa - also revered by Jews as a vestige of two ancient temples - has seen confrontations between Palestinian stone-throwers and Israeli riot police recalling violence that helped fan a Gaza war one year ago.
Palestinians accuse Israel of encroaching at Al-Aqsa during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Israel says Palestinian protesters seek to disrupt Muslim prayer for political ends and to prevent visits by Jews, who are now celebrating Passover.
The tensions complicate Israel's security ties with Jordan, which is custodian of Al-Aqsa and has a Palestinian majority.
Jordan's King Abdullah told UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that Israel's Al-Aqsa policy "seriously undermines" chances of it making peace with the Palestinians, Amman said. Jordan also summoned Israel's acting ambassador for a reprimand.
Jordanian Prime Minister Bisher al-Khasawneh told parliament: "I must laud ... those throwing their stones at all of those Zionists who desecrate Al-Aqsa mosque with the protection of the Israeli occupation government."
