JERUSALEM, March 21 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli military said on Friday that its fighter jets struck a rocket launcher in northern Gaza, hours after two rockets were fired toward Israeli territory.
According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the launcher had been deliberately placed by Hamas near a humanitarian area in Al-Furqan, northern Gaza.
The IDF said measures were taken to minimize civilian casualties before the strike, including aerial surveillance, intelligence gathering, and the use of precision-guided munitions.
"This is further evidence of Hamas' systematic exploitation of civilians and civilian infrastructure for terrorist activities throughout the Gaza Strip," the military said in a statement.
The two rockets, which targeted the coastal city of Ashkelon, were intercepted by Israeli air defenses, causing no casualties or damage.
Hamas' military wing, the Qassam Brigades, said on Friday it had fired a rocket at the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon, calling it retaliation for Israeli attacks on civilians.
Israel resumed strikes in Gaza on Tuesday after a ceasefire with Hamas that began on Jan. 19 unraveled. Israeli forces subsequently launched ground operations across southern, northern, and central Gaza.
Gaza's Civil Defense said at least 11 people were killed in Friday's airstrikes, with the overall death toll from the renewed strikes potentially exceeding 600, in addition to more than 1,000 wounded. ■
