Terrorists in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip launched at least 45 rockets and mortar shells at communities in the south overnight and in the early morning Wednesday, seven of which were shot down by the Iron Dome air defense system.
The IDF responded with at least three rounds of airstrikes that targeted Hamas military sites.
There were no immediate reports of injuries on the Israeli side of the border, but the Eshkol Council reported damage to a number of buildings and cars.
Palestinian sources said two were injured in Gaza.
Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum posted on Facebook that “the resistance decides the rules of the conflict and will not allow the enemy to force upon us new arrangements.”
Islamic Jihad spokesman Daoud Shihab said on his twitter account that “the resistance has the right to respond in accordance with the circumstances and the situation on the ground as it sees fit.”
Of about 45 rockets and mortar shells, at least five landed inside Israeli communities adjacent to Gaza, including one that struck just outside a kindergarten. Most of the others landed in open fields in the Negev.
Fighter jets struck approximately 25 targets, including an underground training compound, in various military bases belonging to Hamas throughout the Gaza Strip in response to the rocket and mortar fire.
The Israeli military accused Hamas, which rules Gaza, of “targeting Israeli civilians throughout the night with a severe rocket attack and dragging the Gaza Strip and its civilians down a deteriorating path,” the IDF spokesman said.
“The IDF is prepared to defend Israeli civilians and will increase its activity as necessary.”
The IDF said that Hamas is responsible for “everything that transpires in the Gaza Strip and will bear the consequences for deliberately targeting Israeli civilians.”
The IDF spokesman added that it views Hamas’ terror activity “with great severity and is prepared for a wide-variety of scenarios and will continue operating to fulfill its mission to defend Israeli civilians.”
Throughout Tuesday, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip flew numerous incendiary kites and balloons into southern Israel, sparking brush fires.
In response, Israeli aircraft struck three Hamas targets in southern Gaza at around midnight on Tuesday.
The first rocket attacks came less than an hour later, when Palestinians fired five projectiles at Israel, the army said.
Sirens blared in Israeli communities surrounding the Gaza Strip over the course of the next few hours as terrorists launched wave after wave of rockets. The Israeli military responded with airstrikes.
Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman warned this week that Israel will not allow Palestinian terror groups to continue launching incendiary devices into Israeli territory.
“If anyone thinks it will be possible to continue with the daily kites and fires, they are wrong,” he said during a tour of Israel Aerospace Industries.
The army warned that it had the “intelligence, knowledge and operational capability” necessary to conduct further strikes in Gaza if the balloon and kite attacks did not stop.
Written by: World Israel News Staff
Feature image: Police dig up a rocket fired from Gaza that landed outside a kindergarten. (Eshkol region)
Article source: worldisraelnews.com
