Hamas terrorists launched a barrage of rockets into Israel on Sunday, with roughly a dozen of them being fired from the hotly contested city of Rafah.

Israel’s Iron Dome successfully intercepted the majority of the rockets, with alarms sounding in Tel Aviv and other major cities. The strike comes as Israeli forces are increasing operations in and around Rafah, what Israel says is the final major stronghold for Hamas in Gaza.

Hamas took responsibility for the barrage and argued it was retaliation for “Zionist massacres against civilians.”

Israel has faced growing international pressure to cease its operations in Rafah, which plays host to roughly 1.5 million displaced Gazans. Israel encouraged civilians in the region to leave areas where they conducted military operations against Hamas in an effort to minimize civilian casualties.

GROWING CONTROVERSY OVER BIDEN’S GAZA PIER FUELS CONCERNS OVER COST, SECURITY

Rafah lies on the border with Egypt and had served as a major artery for humanitarian aid. Israel took control of the Gazan side of the border this week, however, and Egypt responded by refusing to allow further aid through.

US MILITARY CONSTRUCTS HULKING METAL PIER AMID BIDEN’S $320 MILLION GAMBLE TO GET AID INTO GAZA

Egypt refuses to reopen its side of the Rafah crossing until control of the Gaza side is handed back to Palestinians. It agreed to temporarily divert traffic through Israel’s Kerem Shalom crossing, Gaza’s main cargo terminal, after a call between President Biden and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi.

Rafah, pictured here, lies on the border with Egypt and had served as a major artery for humanitarian aid. Israel took control of the Gazan side of the border this week, however, and Egypt responded by refusing to allow further aid through. (Reuters/Maxar Technologies)

Hundreds of aid trucks traveled through Israel’s Kerem Shalom crossing this weekend, but United Nations workers say they have had difficulty accessing the aid due to heavy fighting nearby.

The new aid agreement comes as a “floating pier” created on the Gaza coast by the U.S. suffered damage this weekend. The pier remains mostly operational, but four vessels that had served to stabilize the pier were detached due to rough weather.

Israeli military vehicles along the border with Gaza on April 24, 2024. (Jack Guez/AFP via Getty Images)

The U.S. spent roughly $320 million constructing the pier, which has been a conduit for aid from the U.S. and other countries. While the pier has been used to transfer roughly 569 metric tons of aid into Gaza, as of last week none of that aid had been delivered to Palestinians, the Pentagon confirmed.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

For the first time in 24 years, a French president has paid a state visit to Germany. 

President Emmanuel Macron arrived on Sunday for a three-day trip, intended to emphasise the strong ties between the European Union’s leading powers. 

Initially set for last July, the visit was postponed due to riots in France following the police killing of a 17-year-old. 

While Macron is used to visiting Germany to coordinate EU and foreign policy, this is the first state visit with full ceremonial honours since Jacques Chirac’s visit in 2000. 

Macron and his wife, Brigitte, were hosted by Germany’s president, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, as Germany celebrates the 75th anniversary of its post-World War II constitution.

Steinmeier put on a state banquet for Macron at Bellevue Palace in Berlin Sunday evening. 

On Monday, the two presidents will travel to Dresden, where Macron will deliver a speech. 

They will visit then Muenster in western Germany on Tuesday.

The state visit will conclude with a meeting between Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and ministers from both countries at a government guest house outside Berlin.

Germany and France, the EU’s largest economies, have long been seen as the driving force of European integration, despite occasional policy differences. 

This was evident earlier this year when the two countries had differing positions on whether Western countries should rule out sending troops to Ukraine.

Macron did not rule out putting boots on the ground in Ukraine, though Scholz quickly distanced himself from these remarks. 

Nonetheless, both nations remain strong supporters of Kyiv.