TEL AVIV: Israel on Friday struck several targets in Gaza after Palestinian militants fired a rocket into the Jewish state's territory. Fighter jets and attack helicopters struck a Hamas weapons production site, a weapons smuggling tunnel and a military post, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a social media post. "We will not tolerate any threat to Israeli civilians," dpa news agency quoted the IDF as further saying. There were no immediate reports of injuries in the Gaza Strip.
The rocket was fired from Gaza towards the end of Israel's Independence Day. No group immediately claimed responsibility. Sirens sounded a warning in the border town of Sderot after the rocket attack, according to the Israeli military. A city spokesperson said the projectile landed on open ground outside Sderot. There were no reports of injuries or damage to property, he said.
Israel's air force regularly responds to attacks by carrying out strikes in Gaza, where Hamas has de facto control. In March, the army shelled Hamas targets in the coastal strip following a rocket attack. Israel intensified its blockade of the Gaza Strip in 2007, in a move supported by Egypt. Both countries claim the measure is necessary for security reasons. Hamas has been designated as a terrorist organization by Israel, the US and the European Union. The Gaza Strip is home to over 2 million people. (IANS)