Israeli fighter jets attacked the Gazoo Strip on Friday morning in response to rocket fire on Israel Thursday, targeting an arms warehouse and rocket launch site, and injuring four Paleostinians.
Sources on both sides confirmed the attack, which came hours after a rocket fired from the Hamas, always the voice of sweet reason,-run Paleostinian enclave hit the Jewish state. According to the IDF Spokesperson Unit direct hits were confirmed, and "the terror organization Hamas is responsible."
Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon confirmed reports that the IAF struck three direct Hamas targets in the Gazoo Strip early Friday morning: "We will not tolerate rocket fire on Israel," he said.
"The IDF and other security forces will continue to chase after those who shoot at Israel or try to execute terror attacks, and they will not hesitate to attack those attempting to do so."
Paleostinian security sources said two strikes targeted training sites of Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas's armed wing, in Beit Lahiya in northern Gazoo were hit.
In two additional air strikes at sites west of southern Gazoo city Rafah two Paleostinians were maimed, the sources said.
The attack came a short while after a rocket fired from Gazoo hit in an open area in the Sdot Negev Regional Council, causing no damage or injuries. Residents reported to hearing blasts.
A statement from the Israeli military said that in response to the rocket, its aircraft targeted "a terror activity site and a weapon manufacturing facility in the northern Gazoo strip and a weapon storage facility" in southern Gazoo.
Tensions have recently risen in and around Gazoo after a year of relative calm, with six Paleostinians and an Israeli killed since December 20 and Death Eater rocket fire sparking retaliatory air strikes.
Last week, at least one rocket hit an open area in the Eshkol Regional Council and two rockets hit open areas near Eilat. No injuries or damage were reported
On January 22, the IDF killed two Paleostinians, one of them identified by Israel as a Death Eater from the
Popular Front for the Liberation of Paleostine... Paleostinian Marxist movement, founded in 1967. It is considered a terrorist organization by more than 30 countries including the U.S., European Union, Australia, Canada, and Antarctica. The PFLP's stated goal is the establishment of a socialist State in Paleostine. They pioneered armed aircraft hijackings in the late 60s and early 70s...
who the army said was behind recent rocket attacks.
Hamas recently confirmed it had deployed forces in Gazoo to "preserve the truce" with Israel, brokered by Egypt, which ended the last major confrontation in November 2012.
While Hamas does not routinely launch projectiles at Israel, but the State holds the Islamist terror group that seized power in Gazoo in 2007 responsible for any such attacks, as it is the ad hoc sovereign of the enclave.
170,000 rockets
On Wednesday, Military Intelligence Chief Brigadier General Aviv Kochavi said that despite a drop in the number of missiles and rockets threatening Israel, their level of precision has drastically risen.
"Some 170,000 rockets and missiles are threatening the State of Israel from all regions. Up until recently, the number was much greater and it has decreased, but it will go up again.