IAF strikes 2 Gaza targets; Qassam hits south
Rocket lands near kibbutz in Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council without causing injuries or damage. Earlier, Palestinians say Israeli aircraft targeted smuggling tunnels which run under Egyptian border in Rafah, already bombed-out security compound in Khan Younis
A Qassam rocket fired from the northern Gaza Strip on Wednesday morning landed within a kibbutz in the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council. There were no reports of injuries or damage.
Earlier, Israeli aircraft struck two targets in southern Gaza, causing some damage but no casualties, local Palestinian residents and Hamas security officials said.
An Israeli army spokesman confirmed that aircraft had hit targets in Gaza but had no further details.
Residents said one air strike targeted tunnels which run under the Egyptian border at the town of Rafah that militants use to smuggle arms into the Gaza Strip. Another hit an already bombed-out security compound in the town of Khan Younis.
The Hamas base had already been largely reduced to rubble in previous attacks since the January 18 end of Israel's land campaign in the Strip, but this time a mosque left standing inside the compound was destroyed.
The strikes came in an apparent response to the firing of a mortar round by Gaza gunmen into Israel on Tuesday evening.
Following Israel's 22-day offensive in the Gaza Strip that ended last month in a ceasefire, Israeli leaders said that they would respond very harshly to any firing of rockets or mortar bombs into the Jewish state.
The air strikes were carried out as officials from Islamist Hamas and Israel were trying to cement an Egyptian-brokered deal for an extended ceasefire, the opening of Gaza's border crossings and a prisoner swap between the parties.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will convene his security cabinet later on Wednesday to discuss the outline of such a deal and possibly vote on it.
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report
