Israel intercepts ‘small aircraft’ over Gaza

JERUSALEM-The Israeli army said Saturday it had “intercepted a small aircraft over the Gaza Strip”, where witnesses told AFP they heard “explosions” near the border. The army stressed it was not rocket or other fire that posed a threat to Israelis. “It was not a projectile launch. Full routine continues on the Israeli home front,” it said in a statement. The army didn’t say where the aircraft had been heading or where it had come from. Nor was there any immediate claim of responsibility from any of the armed Palestinian factions in Gaza. Earlier on Saturday, the Gaza-based Islamic Jihad group said its leader Ziad al-Nakhala had travelled to Cairo to meet Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel.