TONY EASTLEY: The sounds of sirens across Israel's second largest city, Tel Aviv, has signalled a dangerous escalation of the conflict between Israel and Hamas - the Islamist militant group which runs Gaza.
Hamas rockets have been fired on the large Mediterranean coastal city, while three Israelis have died in a separate rocket attack in Southern Israel.*
Israel has retaliated with air strikes. Palestinian officials say there have been 15 deaths in Gaza so far.
Middle East correspondent Matt Brown is in Gaza City.
Matt Brown, the situation is hot because of the assassination of Hamas military leader Ahmed al-Jabari. What do you think the significance is of these rocket attacks aimed at Tel Aviv?
MATT BROWN: These are very significant and there has been some (explosive sounds) - sorry Tony, just a couple of air strikes going off here as we speak. And that's the response of the Israeli air force coming in here to the north of the Gaza Strip.
I've just been watching some rockets fired off northwards, so heading out of the north of the Gaza Strip and towards the Tel Aviv area.
And I guess what we've seen during the evening so far is a little bit of confusion in Israel about exactly what's happened, where these longer range rockets have been aimed. And partly that's due to the fact that the Israeli military censor imposes restrictions on information.
But we are seeing reports now that one rocket may have landed in the sea near Tel Aviv and another may have landed at a place called Rishon Lezion. So it's a satellite city about 15 kilometres out of the centre of Tel Aviv, but really significant because this is a bit of a game changer. For the first time Palestinian militants really targeting the very densely populated area of central Israel.
I've even seen on Hamas television tonight a graphic which shows a rocket flying out of the Gaza Strip (explosive sounds).
The night sky being lit up here Tony with bright orange flashes and now plumes of black smoke rising into the air. The electricity has gone out here now in central Gaza.
And I guess that's a very real response to the fantasy, if you like, that I was talking about of the graphic showing a rocket speeding off into Israel and striking one of the tall buildings in central Tel Aviv - something that may yet come true. But as you can hear here now, the Israeli air force doing all it can to make sure it doesn't.
TONY EASTLEY: It's quite extraordinary hearing those noises and knowing they're rockets taking off behind you or close by, Matt.
MATT BROWN: And mostly air strikes coming in Tony - that's the loudest noises you would have heard there.
TONY EASTLEY: Are they coming from Israeli aircraft or drones?
MATT BROWN: Look, you can't tell to be frank. Some of the damage I've seen on the ground is consistent with 500 pound bombs that I've seen and had confirmed in the past, very deep craters.
Others can sound very loud and when you visit the scene of the impact there's very little to show for it on the ground when it's been in an open area. So you just don't know.
But by the kind of smoke plumes and explosions I've just seen probably from bombs.
TONY EASTLEY: Middle East correspondent Matt Brown in Gaza City.
EDITORS NOTE: (November 29) The original broadcast item incorrectly suggested three Israelis had died as a result of the rockets fired on Tel Aviv. The transcript has been corrected.
The full story...
Hamas rockets fired towards Tel Aviv
Matt Brown reported this story on Friday, November 16, 2012 06:05:00
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