JNS.org – The Israel Defense Forces detonated part of a Hamas terror tunnel near the Gaza border in the Khan Yunis area overnight Thursday. During the operation, a Hamas explosion injured five Israeli soldiers, and one Hamas terrorist was killed in an exchange of fire.

An ensuing Israeli airstrike in response to the Hamas attack killed three Palestinian terrorist commanders, Maan News Agency reported. The incidents marked the worst Israeli-Palestinian clashes since the eight-day Gaza conflict of November 2012.

“With its actions, Hamas has violated the understandings reached after Operation Pillar of Defense,” the IDF said in a statement Friday. “They engaged in offensive operations within Israeli territory and built offensive tunnels. Hamas is the sovereign in the Gaza Strip and it is their responsibility to prevent terror of any kind. The IDF will continue to take action to remove all threats facing the citizens of the State of Israel and our defense forces.”