Israel continues to carry out airstrikes in the Gaza Strip; rocket fired at Israel

From the BNO Newsroom.

Washington, D.C. (BNO NEWS) -- Israel carried out a new airstrike in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, the IDF confirmed in a statement released to the press. Hours earlier, a Qassam rocket fired from Gaza struck an open field near the Israeli city of Sderot. No injuries or damage was reported, according to Ynet News. Later, air sirens went off in the Israeli city of Negev but it was not immediately clear if any rockets struck the area.

In a statement, the Israeli Defence Forces confirmed that it carried out an aerial attack against a "known terror operative" of the Global Jihad in the Gaza Strip. "An aearial attack was carried out a short time ago against Machmad Uda Chamdan Samiri, 25, a known terror operative of the Global Jihad in the Gaza strip. Samiri is a former Hamas terror operative who received military training with Hamas," the statement read.

The IDF said Samiri was part of the squad behind a grenade attack targeting an Israeli military vehicle on Tuesday, killing one soldier and injuries 3 others. He is also believed to be responsible for carrying out an attack against IDF soldiers in March 2008.

Israeli media also reported an airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip, targeting a vehicle carrying two Hamas operatives near the town of Khan Younis. BNO News was unable to confirm if this was a second strike. Eyewitnesses told Ynet News that five schoolchildren nearby were wounded in the attack, as well as the two Hamas members. Some of the schoolchildren were reported to be in serious condition.

The IDF, in the statement, reiterated that it will respond to any terrorist attacks and that Hamas "bears full responsibility" for all terrorist activity originating from Gaza as it is the sole authority in the territory.

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