The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) issued a statement on Monday, revealing that "four military outposts" were attacked by the Israeli fighter jets during the night, attributing the targets to "the Hamas terrorist organization."
"Among other things, the outposts served as central training complexes of the terrorist organization, where warehouses for storing and manufacturing weapons and even a terrorist tunnel were located", IDF said.
Shortly after the IDF's statement, reports indicated a new slate of airstrikes from Israel; however, it was later clarified that the explosions were rather "sounds of the fighting between the Egyptian army and Daesh* in the Sinai peninsula."
The IDF statement on the attack was issued after the earlier announcement of red alert sirens being triggered in the area of the Gaza Strip on early Monday. The Israeli military confirmed that "one launch" fired into the Israeli territory was intercepted by missile defenses.
"Following the report of the activation of a red alert, one launch was identified from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory, which was intercepted by air defense fighters", the IDF said.
The red siren alert came shortly after multiple reports said that Israel conducted several airstrikes in northern and southern parts of the Gaza strip, purportedly in retaliation for rocket fire earlier in the day.
According to the Shehab news agency, after the "Israeli airstrikes" gunboats opened fire towards the city of Ashkelon, north of the Beit Lahia site.
Then, the Israeli military reportedly fired rockets at a "Hamas naval site" located west of Khan Younis, a city in southern Gaza, allegedly setting the area on fire. Shortly after that, another airstrike was reported in the area, purportedly again targeting the same site.
Earlier airstrikes reportedly targeted the Hamas Beit Lahia site in the northern part of the Gaza strip. Two missiles were said to have been launched on the Al Thakanah site, east of Rafah, in southern Gaza. The Al Thakanah also reportedly burned after the airstrikes.
Shehab reported that "Israeli warplanes" targeted the Yarmouk site, east of Khan Yunis. Later, the report said that the city of Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip was also targeted.
A video allegedly showing the airstrike targeting the Al Thakanah site emerged online.
Another video was shared in social media, allegedly showing the moment of the airstrike on the Beit Lahia site.
The videos allegedly showing the attack on the Yarmouk site and in the area of Deir al-Balah were also shared in social media.
This is one of the most dramatic squabbles between Israel and the Gaza Strip, de facto controlled by the Hamas militant group, since the escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in early May which continued for over a week, and was eventually wrapped up with a ceasefire. The conflict resulted in the deaths of 12 Israelis and at least 200 Palestinians.
*Daesh is a terrorist organization outlawed in Russia and many other countries