IAF attacks Hamas infrastructures

IAF attacks terrorist infrastructures belonging to Hamas after a rocket from Gaza explodes in the Eshkol region.

Elad Benari,

Airstrike on Gaza (archive)
Airstrike on Gaza (archive)

The Israeli Air Force (IAF) attacked terrorist infrastructures belonging to Hamas in northern Gaza overnight Wednesday, according to the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit.

"The attack took place in retaliation for high trajectory fire on the Eshkol Regional Council earlier," the statement said.

"The IDF holds the Hamas terrorist organization solely responsible for Gaza and will continue to act sternly to maintain the calm in southern communities," it added.

Earlier on Wednesday, a rocket fired by Gaza terrorists exploded in an open area of the Eshkol Regional Council. There were no physical injuries or damages.

The “Red Alert” incoming rocket siren was not sounded since the rocket hit an open region.

While there has been a decrease in rocket fire from Gaza since Israel's counterterrorism Operation Protective Edge in 2014, Gaza terrorists have on occasion continued to fire rockets onto southern Israel.

In late August, a rocket from Gaza exploded in the southern Israeli city of Sderot. Security forces located the rocket inside the city. There were no injuries.

In retaliation, Israeli Air Force (IAF) aircraft attacked terrorist infrastructures in Gaza, and later followed those up with additional attacks on Hamas targets in Gaza – a possible indication that Israel's retaliation policy vis-a-vis rocket attacks is changing under Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman.

Sderot was also targeted by rocket fire a month earlier, when a Gaza rocket exploded in an empty kindergarten. There were no injuries, but the building sustained damage.