Air strikes in Gaza
Air strikes in GazaKobi Richter/TPS

IDF fighter jets and attack helicopters struck a Hamas weapons manufacturing site, a weapon smuggling tunnel and a military post in Gaza overnight Thursday, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said.

The air strikes were in retaliation to the rocket fired from Gaza at Israel on Thursday evening.

On Thursday evening, warning sirens were sounded in the western Negev in southern Israel, after a rocket was fired from the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip into Israeli territory.

"Following the report on the activation of sirens, one rocket launch was identified from the Strip towards Israeli territory," an IDF spokesperson said.

The rocket exploded in an open area in near Sderot, with no reports of physical injuries or damage to property.

The previous rocket attack on southern Israel occurred on election day, when a rocket was fired from Gaza toward the southern Israeli city of Be’er Sheva. The rocket exploded in an open area not far from the city and did not cause the Red Color siren to activate.

The rocket attack occurred shortly after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the city during a live broadcast on social media as part of his campaigning on election day.

IDF fighter jets and attack helicopters later struck a Hamas rocket manufacturing site and military post in retaliation for the attack.