5 injured after rocket from Gaza Strip hits northern Tel Aviv

A rocket hit a house in a community north of Tel Aviv and caused it to catch fire on Monday, wounding five Israelis, police and medics said. Israel's army had earlier reported a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip at Israel but a spokeswoman could not comment further for now.

The house was located in the community of Mishmeret, police said. Medics said they were treating one Israeli with moderate wounds and four others injured lightly. Mishmeret is more than 80 kilometres (50 miles) from the Gaza Strip and rocket fire from the Palestinian enclave at that distance is rare.

It would be sure to draw an Israeli response, risking another escalation between the two sides after mounting tensions in recent weeks. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is currently in Washington, where he is due to meet US President Donald Trump later Monday. The rocket fire comes at a highly sensitive time for Israel, which holds elections on April 9.