A two-ship of Israeli Air Force F-16s from Ramon Air Base, Israel.

Overnight, IAF aircraft targeted two terror activity sites in the northern Gaza Strip and a smuggling tunnel in the southern Gaza Strip. An IDF spokesperson confirmed direct hits.

The IDF  Spokesperson’s Unit announced that the mission was in response to the rockets fired from Gaza at Israel’s southern communities over the past few days. Overnight, two Grad rockets hit Israeli territory, raising the amount of rockets and mortars fired from Gaza at the Israeli home front since the beginning of 2011 to over 340.

The IDF also stressed that “Israel will not tolerate any attempt to harm Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers, and will respond with determination to any attempt to use terror against the State of Israel.” The IDF repeatedly emphasizes that it holds Hamas – an internationally recognized terrorist organization – solely responsible for any terrorist activity emanating from the Gaza Strip.