The Israeli Air Force launched late Saturday a series of airstrikes on several Hamas facilities in Gaza, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported.
Two airstrikes hit the headquarters of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas's military wing, and three other airstrikes targeted underground tunnels used to store weapons. No casualties were reported.
The airstrikes were carried out in response to earlier rocket attacks carried out by militants from Gaza on southern Israeli towns.
Gaza militants have increased the number of rocket attacks on Israel over the past few weeks, prompting Israel to threaten harsh retaliation.
The Gaza Strip has been subject to Israeli attacks and economic blockade since the radical Islamic group Hamas took control of the enclave in the summer of 2007, ousting President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah movement.
Israeli Operation Cast Lead, which lasted for three weeks and ended in mid-January 2009, killed some 1,300 Palestinians in Gaza and injured over 5,300 others. Up to 50,000 people were also left homeless in the enclave of 1.5 million.
GAZA, March 6 (RIA Novosti)
