US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday expressed support for Israel’s right to defend itself after the rocket fire on Tel Aviv.
“Once again, Israeli citizens are under attack from terrorists in Gaza, armed and financed by their puppet masters in Tehran,” he tweeted.
“We stand by our ally. Israel has the right to protect its citizens,” added Pompeo.
The IDF retaliated for the rocket attacks on central Israel by attacking approximately 100 military targets belonging to the Hamas terror organization in the Gaza Strip.
While Hamas and the Islamic Jihad both denied being responsible for the attack on central Israel, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit confirmed overnight Thursday that Hamas was behind the rocket fire.
On Thursday, US Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) condemned the rocket fire from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip toward Gush Dan.
“The Iran-backed terror group Hamas is responsible for the unceasing attacks on Israeli civilians launched from the Gaza Strip, which the group rules and controls,” Cruz said in a statement.
“Our Israeli allies have an absolute right to self-defense, and the United States should do whatever possible to bolster that defense. Many of the rocket and missile attacks on Israel are double war crimes, launched at Israeli civilians from behind Palestinian civilians.”
Jason Greenblatt, the US Special Representative for International Negotiations, condemned the attack as well.
“Hamas violently suppresses its own people demonstrating against Hamas’ rule and failures today and NOW fires rockets at cities in Israel. OUTRAGEOUS! This is what prevents the world from helping the people of Gaza! We strongly support Israel in defense of its citizens. Always!” he tweeted.
“Hamas and other terror organizations in Gaza continue to fail their people day after day & drag Gaza further & further down by constantly choosing violence. This method will never work. Ever! It will just continue to cause more suffering,” added Greenblatt in a second tweet.
(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)