Israel imposed a blockade of Gaza’s sea and land borders after Hamas took control in 2007. The two sides have since fought three wars.
The Israeli military has carried out airstrikes against what it claims to be targets in the Gaza Strip following a rocket attack from the Palestinian enclave, the second such exchange in recent days.
Saturday’s attacks hit what the military described as “terrorist targets” operated by Gaza’s ruling faction Hamas.
An IDF statement said the targets included “a training center, an anti-aircraft missile launch station, a concrete production plant and terrorist tunnel infrastructure.”
Witnesses and security sources said the raids hit two hunter “training sites” in southern Gaza and another target in central Gaza, according to the AFP news agency.
A Hamas spokesperson said that despite the Israeli action, “Gaza is still fighting and not breaking up.”
In response to the rocket fired from Gaza into Israel earlier this evening, our forces have just struck Hamas terrorist targets, including a training center, an anti-aircraft missile launch station, a concrete production plant and a terrorist tunnel infrastructure.
– Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) April 16, 2021
It was the second exchange hostilities during the week. Late Thursday, rockets were fired at southern Israel, prompting the IDF to launch airstrikes on Gaza that left no casualties.
Israel imposed a blockade of Gaza’s sea and land borders after Hamas took control in 2007. The two sides have since fought three wars.
A fragile truce has lasted in recent years despite occasional outbreaks, with Palestinians firing rockets at Israel and Israel responding with airstrikes on the coastal enclave.