The Sderot Municipality spokesperson confirmed in a statement that there was damage to the building but there were no injuries as all individuals in the home were in the bomb shelter.

The Israeli Air Force struck several Hamas terror targets across the Gaza Strip overnight on Friday after a residential home in the southern Israeli city of Sderot sustained a direct hit by a rocket launched during a barrage.

The targets struck by IAF jets included a military compound belonging to the group’s naval forces, a military compound belonging to the organization’s air defense system, a missile simulator, training facilities, an arms manufacturing site, a military compound used as a weapons storehouse and “underground infrastructure” belonging to Hamas.

 

“The attack was carried out in response to the launching of rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory earlier in the evening,” a statement released by the IDF said. “The IDF sees with great severity rocket attacks against Israeli territory, is in a high state of readiness and will continue to act as necessary against attempts to harm Israeli civilians.”

While no group claimed responsibility for the rocket barrages, the military holds Hamas responsible “for all acts in and emanating from the Gaza Strip.”

The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry said that 27 year-old Ahmed al-Sheri was killed in the strikes in Khan Younis and two others were wounded.

Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhum was quoted as Safa Palestinian News Agency as saying Israel will bear the consequences of its actions, adding that, “all these crimes will not break the steadfastness of our people, and will not deter us from moving forward in the path of jihad and resistance in defense of our people and face aggression.”

The retaliatory strikes came following 10 rockets were fired towards the college-town of Sderot and neighboring communities bordering the Gaza Strip on Friday night.

According to the IDF, seven projectiles were fired from the Hamas-run coastal enclave during the first barrage and all were intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system. Following the first barrage Palestinian media reported that an IDF tank shelled a Hamas observation post in the Strip.

Shortly afterwards three more projectiles were fired during the second wave, with only one intercepted.

The Sderot Municipality spokesperson confirmed in a statement that there was damage to the home but there were no injuries as all individuals were in the bomb shelter.

“When I arrived at the street there was chaos, nearby there where numerous vehicles with shattered windscreens. The residents of the building, a 40 year old couple with their children where in a nearby building. The told us that they immediately entered the protected area and left a few minutes later. They were not injured and did not require medical treatment,” said MDA Paramedic Alex Kosinov.

Magen David Adom (MDA) reported that it treated a 65-year-old woman in mild condition who fell while trying to reach a bomb shelter. The woman was evacuated to Barzilai Medical Center in Ashdod for medical treatment. Several others were treated for shock..

In response, the IDF attacked terror targets within the Gaza Strip. The IDF listed their targets on Twitter as naval force and training compounds, a compound with an anti-missile simulator, weapon manucturing and storage sites, and several underground infrastructures.

“Terror targets civilians,” the IDF added at the end of the tweet. “We target terror.”

Earlier in the day some 65,000 Palestinians participated in the weekly Great Return March riots along the Gaza border fence. Palestinian Wafa News Agency reported 88 injuries but no deaths.

On Thursday evening a rocket was launched towards southern Israeli with incoming rocket sirens activated in the communities of Beeri and Alumim. The rocket landed in an open field, causing no damage or injuries.

As reported by The Jerusalem Post