(Bloomberg) — A rocket from the Gaza Strip struck a house in central Israel before dawn, forcing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cut short a U.S. trip where he had hoped to showcase his diplomatic stature ahead of April 9 elections. The rocket destroyed the house but its residents escaped serious injury after an air-raid siren gave them a brief window of time to flee. Netanyahu, who had traveled to Washington to address a powerful pro-Israel lobby, vowed a strong response, and military reservists were called up. Critics say he has squandered Israel’s deterrence by not launching a full-scale war on Hamas-run Gaza despite repeated rocket attacks. Politicians including Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon say Israel should consider reviving its policy of assassinating leading Gaza militants.

Source: National Post March 25, 2019 11:48 UTC