Iran missile debris damages homes in Israel town

Dubai: The Israeli military said air defences responded to missile attacks from Iran on Thursday that according to medics left two people lightly wounded and caused some damage.

A spokesman for Israel's Magen David Adom emergency medical service told public radio there was damage to several houses in the central city of Kafr Qassem, whose Mayor Haitham Taha said it was caused by cluster munitions.

The military said Home Front Command rescuers were called to an impact site "in central Israel".

In two separate statements about 20 minutes apart, the military said it had "identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel".

"Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat," the statements said, with both followed by an announcement that people were "now permitted to leave protected spaces in all areas of the country".

Air raid sirens wailed across central Israel including Tel Aviv and parts of Jerusalem, as well as Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

The attacks came more than 14 hours after the military had previously announced incoming missiles from Iran.

Central Israel came under fire overnight from Lebanon, where Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah claimed a series of attacks targeting military sites. Israeli media said six rockets were intercepted.

Video: AFP