JERUSALEM/GAZA–Hamas terrorists launched a rocket at Israel on Saturday night and four more before daybreak on Sunday triggering blaring sirens as thousands of Israelis ran to bomb shelters in southern Israel.
In the latest launch–the first violation of the May 30 ceasefire–at least four projectiles were fired at southern Israel from Hamas sites in Gaza, the Israeli military said in a statement, adding that three were intercepted and one fell short.
Rocket alerts sounded in Israeli towns and villages near the border after dark, sending residents rushing to shelters. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the rocket fire.
Residents in Gaza said Israeli aircraft struck at least three sites belonging to Hamas, the Islamic terrorist group which controls the enclave.
The Israeli military confirmed in a statement it had carried out the air strikes, adding that “the Hamas terror organization is solely responsible for all events that transpire in the Gaza Strip and emanate from it.”
There were no immediate reports of casualties in any of the incidents.
“The IDF, using fighter jets, attacked 10 terror targets in three compounds belonging to the Hamas terror group in the Gaza Strip. Among the targets that were attacked were two sites used to manufacture and store weapons and a military compound,” the Israeli army said.
The border area along the Gaza strip has been under pressure in the past few weeks as Palestinians protested the blockade imposed by Israel and Egypt in 2007 when the Hamas terrorist group seized power.
More than 2 million Palestinians live in the narrow coastal enclave living under Hamas rule. Israel withdrew its troops and settlers from Gaza in 2005, but maintains tight control of its land and sea borders, for security concerns.
Egypt also restricts movement in and out of Gaza on its border.
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