A Red Flag realistic combat training exercise involving the air forces of the United States and its allies, including Israel and Nato. Photo: Sgt. Kevin Gruenwald.

The Israeli Air Force targeted seven terror sites in southern Gaza on Thursday after four rockets were fired from the territory towards Ashdod and Ashkelon earlier in the day, the Israel Defense Forces said.

65 rockets have hit Israel from Gaza over the past 24 hours, with five hitting populated areas, the IDF said. On Wednesday Israel hit 29 targets in Gaza in response to the rocket barrage.

In a statement, IDF Spokesman Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, said, “Since yesterday there has seen a substantial deterioration in the safety of the residents in southern Israel. We have responded and will continue to do so in order to eliminate threats as they develop. This is our obligation and responsibility to those exposed to Gaza terrorism.”

Lerner said this rocket attack from Gaza is “the most severe rocket attack since operation Pillar of Defense,” with twice as many rockets launched in the first two and a half months of 2014 than all of 2013. So far, Israel has registered 90 rocket attacks against its south, compared to 46 in all of the previous year.