IDF fighter jets early Friday morning targeted an underground rocket manufacturing site belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization in Maghazi in the central Gaza Strip. The strike came in response to the firing of rockets from the Gaza Strip toward Israel.

“This strike will significantly impede Hamas’ intensification and armament efforts,” the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said in a statement.

מטח מרצועת עזהקובי ריכטר / TPS

“The IDF holds the Hamas terrorist organization responsible for all terrorist activity emanating from the Gaza Strip and it will face the consequences of the security violations against Israel,” the statement added.

Underground rocket manufacturing site attacked by the IDF
Underground rocket manufacturing site attacked by the IDFPhoto: IDF Spokesperson's Unit

In a subsequent attack, IDF fighter jets targeted a military base used by the Hamas terrorist organization in the northern Gaza Strip. The base served as a significant center of Hamas’ terrorist activities, the IDF said.

Military base used by Hamas and attacked by the IDF
Military base used by Hamas and attacked by the IDFPhoto: IDF Spokesperson's Unit

On Thursday night, shortly before midnight, sirens were sounded in the city of Ashkelon and in Kibbutz Zikim and Karmia. The IDF confirmed that two rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip and were intercepted by the IDF Aerial Defense Array.

There were no initial reports of physical injuries or damages.

Shortly after the IDF attack, at around 3:30 a.m., sirens were sounded in kibbutz Nir Oz, Magen and Ein HaBesor.

The IDF said that during an IDF strike in the Gaza Strip, three rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip. One rocket was intercepted by the IDF Aerial Defense Array, an additional rocket fell in open areas and another rocket fell inside the Gaza Strip.

The rockets were fired in response to the IDF’s counterterrorism operation in Jenin early Thursday morning, in which eight Palestinians Arabs were killed, the majority of them Islamic Jihad terrorists who were planning attacks against Israelis.

Earlier on Thursday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, and senior defense officials held a situation assessment in which they ordered "increased preparedness" for any scenario.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Netanyahu's office said that the Prime Minister made it clear that Israel was not looking to escalate the situation, but that he instructed the security forces to prepare for any scenario in the various arenas, in order to protect the citizens of Israel.

Meanwhile on Thursday evening, the Palestinian Authority announced it was halting security coordination with Israel over the raid.

The move was announced by the PA’s deputy cabinet leader, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, who said that “security coordination with the occupation government no longer exists as of now,” in light of the "repeated aggression against our people, and the undermining of signed agreements."

Abu Rudeineh also said that the PA intended to file another complaint with the UN Security Council and the International Criminal Court over Thursday morning's raid.

The police on Thursday evening released additional footage from the helmet cameras of Border Police officers who operated in Jenin together with IDF soldiers.

In the documentation, the soldiers are seen taking heavy fire and in real danger to their lives as dozens of armed terrorists shoot at them. The IDF soldiers strove for contact with determination and courage and succeeded in thwarting a terrorist cell that intended to carry out an attack against civilians and security forces.