Israel pounds Gaza with airstrikes as conflict intensifies

Israel bombarded Gaza with artillery and air strikes on Friday in response to a new barrage of rocket fire from the Hamas-run enclave. Israel however stopped short of a ground offensive in the conflict that has now claimed more than 100 Palestinian lives.

The Israeli army clarified early Friday that its troops had not entered the Gaza Strip as it had earlier stated, blaming an "internal communication" problem for the confusion.

Meanwhile, Israeli security forces have been trying to contain deadly riots between Jews and Arabs

The United Nations said the Security Council would meet on Sunday to address the conflict, while the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington was "deeply concerned about the violence in the streets of Israel".