The US Defense Department has flown about 120 personnel out of Israel as a precaution in light of the ongoing launching of rockets by the Hamas and Islamic Jihad terror groups into Israel.

The American personnel departed on Thursday on a US Air Force C-17 transport plane, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said.

The US personnel had been in Israel to plan for a future bilateral exercise. Kirby said the conference was scheduled to end this week but the exit was accelerated by a few days.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem & AP)