Israel’s Netanyahu rushed off stage at campaign event

JERUSALEM

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was rushed off stage and into a nearby bomb shelter at an election rally Wednesday as rocket sirens sounded, according to local reports.

Israeli media outlets said Netanyahu was speaking at a campaign event organized by his Likud party in the southern city of Ashkelon near Gaza.

The sirens were triggered by rockets reportedly fired from the Gaza side and bodyguards escorted him to the shelter due to security concerns.

Netanyahu returned to the stage shortly afterward and continued his speech.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) later said its Iron Dome air defense system had intercepted a rocket fired from Gaza.

A similar incident took place on Sept. 17 while Netanyahu was holding an election rally in the southern city of Ashdod when sirens were triggered as result of two rockets being fired from Gaza.

*Writing by Ali Murat Alhas