Israeli jets strike 6 Hamas targets in Gaza in retaliation for rocket attacks

JTA

JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israeli jets struck six Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip, in retaliation for rockets fired on southern Israel, including one which damaged a family’s home.

One of the Hamas targets struck by the Israel Air Force jets early Monday morning was a military compound which served as a training site. The other targets also were used to carry out terror attacks, according to the IDF.

“Hamas is exclusively responsible for the situation in the Gaza Strip. The IDF takes the firing of rockets at Israeli communities very seriously and will not allow any harm or attempt to harm the citizens of the State of Israel,” the IDF said in a statement.

No group took responsibility for the attack, though it is believed that most of the rockets have been fired by groups other than Hamas, which Israel holds responsible for all attacks emanating from Hamas-controlled Gaza.

The rockets fired Sunday evening from Gaza at southern Israel landed in the Hof Ashkelon region, on the border with Gaza according to the Israel Defense Forces. One rocket landed next to a house in a residential neighborhood, damaging the home and the car parked in front of it, and the second rocket landed in an open field.

It was at least the 18th rocket fired from Gaza that hit Israel since the United States announced earlier this month that it recognizes Jerusalem as the country’s capital.

Sirens sounded in the Ashkelon area at 2:30 a.m. on Monday, after a rocket fired at Israel landed inside of Gaza instead, according to the IDF.