A second Israeli airstrike Thursday morning hit a group of men beside a gas station in the northern Gaza Strip around 8:30 a.m., hours after a wave of strikes targeted sites across the coastal enclave.
Spokesman of the higher committee of ambulance and emergency services Adham Abu Salmiya said the latest bombing targeted a site near the Jabaliya refugee camp, and injured one.
A statement from Israel's military said the air force "identified a group of terrorists preparing to launch rockets at Israeli territory, and thwarted the attempt by firing at them."
The armed wing of the Popular Resistance Committees said fighters launched a projectile toward the Karmia kibutz south of Ashkelon early in the day, and said fighters "survived an attack" from the northern Strip.
Overnight Strikes
Shortly before 2 a.m., Israeli aircraft opened fire on several areas in the Gaza Strip.
Aircraft targeted a tunnel in the south and a site connected to Hamas' Al-Qassam Brigades west of Gaza City, onlookers said.
Jets also struck a power station causing blackouts in Gaza City, Reuters reported.
Abu Salmiya said no injuries were reported, but sent waves of panic through homes across the Strip.
An Israeli military statement confirmed that the targets included a smuggling tunnel, and "terror activity site," noting "direct hits were confirmed."
The strikes, according to the statement, came "as a response to the barrage of Grad rockets, Qassam rockets and mortar shells fired from Gaza at the Israeli home front in the south over the past few days."
The armed wing of the Popular Resistance Committees claimed that their fighters were behind the launch of the six shells in Ashkelon. A statement said operatives attacked the Zikim military zone "in response to Israeli crimes in Gaza."
Late Wednesday Hamas leaders vowed "to restore calm" in the coastal enclave, after a Saturday barrage of nearly 50 projectiles fired toward Israel in retaliation for the slaying of two Hamas fighters by Israel on 16 March marked the start of Israel's latest wave of strikes.
Latest in series of strikes
Gaza residents reported late Wednesday a strike targeting a car in the northern Gaza Strip, an act Israeli forces denied.
In the past three days, Israeli fire has killed eight and injured nearly 40. Four of the dead were civilians caught in artillery fire while playing soccer in their yard east of Gaza City, and more than half of the injured were civilians.
Officials have condemned the strikes, and called on Israel to stem its military activity on Gaza.
In a statement following the death of four civilians, including a child and a teenager, the military said the act was not intended as an "escalation."
Front Page Features