Israeli warplanes bombard locations of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in southern Gaza under the pretext of responding to the firing of two rockets towards settlements adjacent to the Gaza Strip.
Israeli warplanes carried out frequent raids on the positions of the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), in Rafah and Khan Yunis.
A security source and witnesses told Agence France-Presse that the raids targeted several sites, including the Ain Jalout site of the Qassam Brigades in Khan Younis.
The raids also targeted the Qadisiya site, which in turn belongs to the Qassam Brigades. The shelling also included agricultural land near the site of "Tunisia" for the same faction east of Gaza City.
Local Palestinian sources said the Israeli shelling caused extensive damage but no injuries.
An Israeli army spokesman said the raids targeted locations in Gaza in response to two rocket-propelled grenades fired at settlements adjacent to the Strip.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has threatened to respond forcefully and firmly to any rocket fire from the Gaza Strip, and pledged in a statement that Israel would continue to maintain its security on all fronts.
These developments come at a time when the Gaza Strip is witnessing a fragile truce since the Israeli escalation in which two weeks ago killed 35 martyrs, including two military commanders in Al-Quds Brigades (the military arm of Islamic Jihad).
During the Israeli escalation, the occupation army focused its operations on targets belonging to Islamic Jihad, avoiding targeting Hamas military positions.