The Israel Air Force struck several Hamas-linked terrorists and bombed a smuggler tunnel Monday night in Gaza in a joint IDF-ISA (Israel Security Agency/Shin Bet) activity. A direct hit was confirmed, according to the IDF Spokesman's Office.
The terrorist tunnel was intended to be used to sneak operatives into Israel to carry out attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers.
The attacks came in retaliation for the barrage of rocket and mortar attacks fired by Gaza terrorists at southern Israeli communities over the past week.
“The IDF will respond with strength and determination to any attempt to terrorize the citizens of Israel,” the IDF Spokesman said.
On Sunday evening, a Grad Katyusha missile struck the southern Israeli coastal city of Ashkelon. The missile exploded in a residential neighborhood in the city. Two people suffered shock, and one required hospital care.
One day earlier, Hamas terrorists fired a barrage of more than 50 mortars at southern Israel. One shell struck a home. Two people were lightly wounded in the attack.
More than 130 mortar shells, Kassam rockets and Grad missiles fired from Gaza have exploded in southern Israeli communities since the beginning of January.
Of those, 56 were fired in this week alone.