BICOM

Israel fired on five strategic Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip yesterday after a rocket was fired into Israel from Gaza.

Israeli fighter planes attacked Hamas positions near the Nusseirat refugee camp and close to Khan Younis. AFP reported that Israeli tanks positioned along the Gaza border also opened fire at targets. Gaza’s Health Ministry said that four Palestinians were moderately wounded in strikes near Rafah.

The IDF said: “In response to a rocket fired from Gaza that hit Israeli territory last night, the Israel Air Force targeted five Hamas positions throughout the Gaza Strip. The IDF holds Hamas accountable for all attacks from the Gaza Strip that threaten Israel and her citizens.”

On Monday morning a rocket was fired from the Gaza Strip into the Shar Hanegev region of southern Israel. It landed in an open space without causing injuries or damage. No group has claimed responsibility for the rocket fire, although small Salafi jihadist groups based in the Gaza Strip have claimed responsibility for similar attacks.

Yesterday, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his policy that “we respond to all fire at our territory; thus we did today and as such we will do in the future”.

Israel’s Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman emphasised that Israel has no interest in initiating a military confrontation in Gaza but said that “we have no intention to continue to absorb drizzles [of rockets out of Gaza],” and that Hamas should “take responsibility and calm down”.

In response, Hamas released a statement saying that they “won’t stand by in the face of continued Israeli aggression against the forces of the resistance and the intentional escalation on Israel’s part”.