IDF strikes targets in Gaza as rocket sirens go off in southern Israel

The IDF struck targets in the Gaza Strip in the early hours of Monday morning in response to a rocket fired into Israel on Sunday. 

Meanwhile, rocket sirens went off in the Gaza border area communities of Kissufim and Ein Hashlosha, with one rocket fired into Israel and intercepted by an Iron Dome, according to the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit. This marks four days in a row that rockets were fired from the Strip into Israel, and the fifth rocket fired since the conclusion of Operation Guardians of the Wall in May.

Israeli forces struck four military outposts with a number of Hamas assets. These included training complexes, weapons manufacturing and storage centers and a terrorist tunnel. 

Fighter planes later struck other targets after a rocket was fired into Israel during the initial retaliatory strike.

Explosions were heard in the northern and southern parts of the Hamas-ruled Strip, with Palestinian media reports indicating a target had been struck in the city of Rafah.

Heavy machine-gun fire was directed at IDF planes around Rafah, according to Palestinian media.

Reports also indicated that targets near Beit Lahiya in the Strip’s North had been hit by IDF fighter planes, as well as the nearby Ashkelon site being targeted by the Israeli Navy.

The IDF also struck a Hamas site near the city of Khan Yunis as well as a target near the central Gaza city of Deir el-Balah, according to the Shehab news agency.

Videos of the bombings from Palestinian reports were shared on social media.

A rocket, fired from the Gaza Strip, was intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system over the southern city of Sderot Sunday night.

Some five residents of Sderot were lightly injured while running to shelters.

Shortly before the rocket fire on Sunday, IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi warned that the IDF would “protect the Gaza border and will not accept any violation of [Israel’s] sovereignty of any kind. We are vigorously attacking for every violation and we will continue to do so, and if they escalate, Hamas and the Gaza Strip will pay a heavy price.”

The rocket fire comes after the IDF struck Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip on Saturday night after a rocket was fired from Gaza into Israel on Saturday evening.

Sunday also marked the anniversary of the completion of Israel’s unilateral disengagement from the Gaza Strip in 2005.