Germany condemns Gaza rocket fire

Germany condemned the bombardment of cities in Israel by rockets launched from the Gaza strip on Tuesday, calling for de-escalation and saying there could be no justification for violence against innocent civilians.

Israel killed a top commander from the Iranian-backed Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip earlier on Tuesday, drawing rocket salvoes that reached as far as Tel Aviv in the worst cross-border fighting in months.

"We condemn this rocket fire in the severest terms," the German foreign ministry said in a statement. "We call for restraint and for an end to the violence. We strongly support Egypt's and the United Nations' mediation efforts."