Palestinian rocket fire into Israel renews war fears

PALESTINIAN rockets struck deep inside Israel, landing closer to the urban sprawl south of Tel Aviv, and Israeli aircraft pounded targets in Gaza in a surging conflict that has raised fears of a new war.

Israeli police said long- range Grad rockets fired from the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip hit Ashdod and an area north of the Mediterranean port. There were no reports of casualties.

Emergency services said one of the rockets landed near Yavneh, a town 45km from Gaza and 20km from Tel Aviv. That area came under rocket attack in the December 2008-January 2009 Gaza war.