Hamas says it fired rockets at offshore gas well

Hamas claimed Wednesday to have fired two rockets at the Noa gas installation off the coast of the Gaza Strip, Reuters reported, apparently the first such attack by the terror group

Israel said no projectiles had hit the Israeli gas well, which lies on a platform some 30 kilometers (18 miles) off the Gaza shore and is operated by Delek and Noble Energy.

Noble said in a statement that “the gas is flowing, business as usual.”

While the chances of one of the crude rockets hitting a gas well is highly unlikely due to their inaccuracy, such an event — if it were to occur — could be catastrophic. It is unlikely that the installations have any protection from such attacks.

The discovery of large natural gas deposits off its coast has positioned Israel to become a leading energy exporter in the region. Israel has long relied on imports to meet most of its energy needs. The gas fields are expected to supply Israel’s domestic needs for decades and could transform the country into an energy exporter.

AP contributed to this report.