Israel Launches Airstrikes on Hamas Targets in Gaza in Response to Rocket Attack on Sderot

The Israel Defense Forces force launched airstrikes on Hamas targets in Gaza shortly after midnight on Thursday in response to rockets fired from Gaza on southern Israel on Wednesday night. The rocket landed in the city of Sderot, damaging a car and the wall of a home; it was loaded with hundreds of ball bearings meant to inflict more damage and injuries, according to reports. The Iron Dome missile defense system fired several times overnight Thursday, triggered by gunfire. Meanwhile, at about 5:30 am, a second rocket launched from Gaza was fired toward southern Israel but failed to fly far enough and landed inside of Gaza. The IDF attacked an underground rocket manufacturing facility, a terror tunnel, and a Hamas military post. The strike on the underground facility for the production of rocket engine components has dealt a “significant blow to the rocket production process in the Gaza Strip,” the IDF said. During the airstrikes, Hamas targeted Israel’s fighter jets with anti-aircraft missiles, after which the IDF attacked a Gaza military compound used by Hamas’ air defense force. It was the second rocket attack on Israel in three days. No group took responsibility for Wednesday’s attack; Islamic Jihad took responsibility for Monday’s attack. The IDF blames Hamas for all attacks emanating from Gaza.