IDF strikes Gaza targets overnight in response to rocket fire

The strikes are in retaliation for a rocket that was launched into southern Israel Wednesday night.

By ANNA AHRONHEIM
Updated: MARCH 16, 2017 09:41
Rocket fired from the Gaza Strip toward Israel. [File] (photo credit: REUTERS)
Rocket fired from the Gaza Strip toward Israel. [File]
(photo credit: REUTERS)
The Israel air force struck two Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip in the early hours of Thursday morning in retaliation for a rocket that landed in the Negev on Wednesday night, the army confirmed on Thursday.
There was no damage or injuries from the rocket launched from the Gaza Strip and no siren sounded as the rocket landed in open territory in the Negev, the IDF spokesperson’s Unit said.
Tensions between Israel and the Gaza Strip have been high as of late, with a false alert ringing in the Eshkol Regional Council just days after a failed rocket attack by the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, a faction of the Palestinian Fatah party's armed wing in the Gaza Strip.
While there have been around 20 rockets launched in 2016 towards Israel from the Gaza Strip, five rockets have been launched at Israel during the past month alone, including two that the Islamic State Group in Sinai claimed responsibility for.
Most of them have been claimed by small jihadist groups, many times as a means for pressuring Hamas by raising tensions between the terror organization and Israel. Hamas has cracked down on these small groups, recently carrying out a wave of arrests among Salafi, jihadist, pro-Islamic State organizations.
Israel holds Hamas accountable for all fire emanating from the Strip.