IAF strikes targets near Rafah
Palestinian sources in Gaza say Israeli aircraft struck targets along Philadelphi route; earlier soldiers open fire at Palestinian trying to plant bomb along border fence; man lightly hurt, evacuated to Beersheba hospital; sources in Gaza say IDF operated in northern Strip overnight; rockets launched toward Negev, no injuries
Israelis aircraft on Thursday struck targets near Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. Palestinian sources said the attack focused on the Philadelphi route, where the Palestinians have resumed work on tunnels used to smuggle arms and goods from Egypt to Gaza. There were no immediate reports of casualties.
During the early morning hours IDF soldiers operating near the Kerem Shalom crossing opened fire at a Palestinian terrorist trying to plant a bomb along the Gaza-Israel border fence.
The man was evacuated to the Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba with light wounds and was later taken in for questioning by security personnel.
Meanwhile, Palestinian sources in Gaza reported that IDF forces operated near the border fence in the northeastern part of the Strip overnight. According to them, exchanges of fire were heard.
Also on Thursday, the Color Red alert system in the Eshkol Regional Council sounded after detecting two rocket launchings from Gaza toward the Negev region. The rockets' exact landing sites have yet to be located.
Earlier, another Qassam landed on the Palestinian side of the Gaza-Israel border fence, and a mortar shell fired from the northern Strip struck within Sdot Negev Regional Council limits.
There were no reports of injury or damage in either attack.
Wednesday saw one rocket land near a kibbutz in the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council. There were no injuries or damage. Prior to the attack Israeli aircraft struck seven arms-smuggling tunnels situated along the Philadelphi Route on the border between Gaza and Egypt, as well as a Hamas outpost near Khan Younis.
Palestinian sources said a mosque located near the outpost was demolished in the attack.
Ali Waked, Ilana Curiel and Shmulik Hadad contributed to the report
