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The Israeli Air Force bombed four “terror infrastructure” sites in the southern Gaza Strip early Wednesday, an IDF statement said.
The targets included training camps belonging to the Islamic Jihad in Rafah, Khan Yunis, and Gaza City, witnesses in the Strip said. There were no reports of casualties after the Israeli airstrikes.
The air attacks were a response to a missile attack by Islamic Jihad in Gaza on the Israeli city Gan Yavne on Tuesday evening. Many residents in southern Israel reported hearing multiple blasts indicating that more than one missile exploded in the area.
Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon delivered a stern warning to Hamas today. He said Hamas must rein in any attempts by factions in Gaza to attack Israel, or “pay a heavy price.”
“Israel has no intention of ignoring attacks on its citizens like the one carried out last night by Islamic Jihad forces,” Ya’alon said.
“We will not abide any threat on the residents of the south. If it isn’t quiet in Israel, the Gaza Strip will pay a heavy price. I would not advise anyone to test us we see Hamas as responsible for what happens in the Gaza Strip. It would be better for Hamas to rein in all attempts to fire at Israel and provocations. Otherwise we will have no choice but to respond with even greater force,” Ya’alon warned.
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh seemed to be unfazed by Ya’alon’s threat.
The enemy’s threats do not scare the Gaza Strip and do not scare the children of Gaza. Gaza is able to build deterrence. A million people (across the border) panicked over one rocket. I believe they live under terror, rather than (the people of) Gaza.
Earlier today, Hamas arrested three Islamic Jihad members suspected of launching the missiles on southern Israel yesterday.
A Hamas spokesman reported there were mediation efforts underway between Israel and Hamas in an attempt to de-escalate the situation as soon as possible. While refusing to elaborate on who the mediators were, he said Egypt was not involved.
Meanwhile, the Ma’an News Agency in Bethelem quoted Egyptian sources as saying that Cairo has asked Jerusalem to halt its “aggression” in the Gaza Strip and show restraint following the Israeli counter strike.
This post originally appeared on Western Journalism – Equipping You With The Truth