Israeli F-15 Eagle fighter jet takes off to Gaza
Israeli F-15 Eagle fighter jet takes off to GazaFlash 90

Israeli fighter jets bombed Islamic Jihad targets in the Gaza Strip Tuesday, following a barrage of rocket attacks on central and southern Israel.

An IDF spokesperson confirmed Tuesday afternoon that Israeli warplanes had bombed Islamic Jihad targets in the Hamas-ruled enclave, adding that training facilities and underground weapons factories were among the targets hit.

"IDF fighter jets and aircraft recently struck a number of PIJ terror targets in the Gaza Strip. Among the sites struck were a training compound and underground weapons manufacturing and storage sites," the IDF announced Tuesday in a statement.

"The IDF views the continued rocket fire from the Gaza Strip at Israel and its civilians severely and is prepared to continue defending Israeli civilians, and to operate as necessary."

Earlier, the IDF claimed that two terrorists linked to the launching of rockets at Israel had been eliminated in a strike.

Arab media outlets claimed Israeli forces also struck other terror targets inside Gaza, including Hamas’ internal security headquarters in Gaza City.

By Tuesday afternoon, some 180 rockets had been fired from the Hamas-ruled coastal enclave towards Israel since 6:00 a.m.

The rocket fire forced millions of Israelis in central and southern Israel to seek shelter, and prompted the cancellation of schools and some public transportation.

The rocket fire began at roughly 6:00 a.m. Tuesday, following an Israeli airstrike on the home of Baha Abu al-Ata in Gaza City.

Al-Ata, who led Islamic Jihad’s Al Quds Brigades’ Gaza branch, and his wife were both killed in the attack.

In a separate airstrike targeting a building in Damascus two people were killed, including the son of another Islamic Jihad senior official.

Islamic Jihad reported that the terrorist, Akram al-Ajouri, survived the attack.

"The home of a member of the political bureau of the Islamic Jihad movement in Palestine, Akram al-Ajouri, was also targeted in Damascus, killing one of his sons," Islamic Jihad said.