US prez says Israel has right to defend,Netanyahu says air strikes to continue on Gaza (Video)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel will continue its airstrikes in Gaza as the death toll grows. Israeli cities are also facing rockets and increasing incidents of mob violence. Follow DW for the latest.Hamas continued to launch rockets at Israel overnight while Israel carried out airstrikes. (PIC-UNI)

Most of the rockets fired by Hamas were intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system. According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), around 25 rockets fell short, landing in the Gaza strip.

A total of five people received minor injuries in Petah Tikva near Tel Aviv in the rocket attacks.

Israel fighter jets hit Hamas' main bank and one of its naval force squads. They completely destroyed the Internal Security Agency in the North Gaza governate.

Palestinian media reported that homes were also hit.

Rockets streamed out of Gaza and Israel pounded the territory with airstrikes in the most severe outbreak of violence since the 2014 war — with no endgame in sight. pic.twitter.com/XLvFOMaW0m

— DW News (@dwnews) May 12, 2021

Israeli defense minister shocked by violence in Israeli cities

Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz responded to the "shocking violence" seen in several Israeli cities, saying it is a threat, according to the Times of Israel.

An Arab-Israeli man, who was reportedly beaten by a group of Israeli far-right nationalists on Wednesday evening, was "seriously injured but stable," the Ichilov hospital in Tel Aviv said. Images of the beating were broadcast by an Israeli public broadcaster. 

In the northern city of Acre on Wednesday, a Jewish motorist was reportedly beaten by Arab residents. In the Tel Aviv suburb of Bat Yam, Jewish youths reportedly ransacked stores and beat an Arab man, Israeli media reported.

"On this evening, more than ever, our internal divisions are what threaten us," Gantz said.

"We must not win the battle in Gaza and lose the battle at home. The harsh images from the cities and streets tonight are Israelis tearing each other apart. The shocking violence in Bat Yam, Acre, Lod and other cities turns our stomachs and breaks the hearts of us all," he added.

Anthony Blinken calls Mahmoud Abbas  

The US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken spoke with the president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, on Wednesday.

"I spoke with President Abbas about the ongoing situation in Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza," Blinken wrote on Twitter.

"I expressed condolences for the loss of life. I emphasized the need to end rocket attacks and deescalate tensions," he added.

Flight diverted amid rocket strikes

A video shared on social media showed the view from a plane flying over Israel as rockets are fired from Gaza. The plane was forced to fly in circles for an hour due to the rocket fire before it could land at a different Israeli airport.

Major US airlines; including American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Airlines, all said that they had cancelled flights to Tel Aviv as rocket fire from Hamas continues to target Ben Gurion airport.

Israeli PM seeks use of army to put down riots

Israeli media reported late Wednesday that violent groups of Arab and Jewish Israelis are carrying out attacks on individuals, with rioting continuing in some mixed Arab-Jewish Israeli cities.

Prime Minister Netanyahu condemned the scenes of violence, saying "nothing can justify an Arab mob assaulting Jews, and nothing can justify a Jewish mob assaulting Arabs."

He also said that he was looking at employing the Israeli army to "bring back order and rule" within Israel, adding that he would push legislation to give him emergency powers if necessary.

Netanyahu pledges further airstrikes after Biden call

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a phone call with US President Joe Biden on Wednesday in which Biden expressed support for Israel and stressed its right to self-defense. 

The US president was also hopeful that the violence in the region would end soon.

US President Joe Biden told reporters that "Israel has a right to defend itself" after a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. pic.twitter.com/9rjfRhTKm7

— DW News (@dwnews) May 12, 2021

"My expectation and hope is this will be closing down sooner than later, but Israel has a right to defend itself," Biden told reporters at the White House after the conversation.

Netanyahu, however, followed the conversation by saying that Israel would continue to carry out airstrikes in Gaza, a tweet from the prime minister's office said.

Violence enters sixth day

The Israeli military and Hamas militants in Gaza continue to exchange rocket fire and airstrikes. The death toll continues to climb as violence spreads to the streets of mixed Arab-Jewish cities in Israel.

World leaders have called for an end to violence. Some have emphasized Israel's right to defend itself, while others warn of a full-scale war if the two sides fail to de-escalate.