Israel strikes Hamas sites in Gaza after militants fire rockets

Gaza militants fired rockets at Israel on Saturday drawing retaliatory Israeli air strikes on Hamas sites, the Israeli military said, a few days after the area's most intense fighting in years.

At least four projectiles were fired from Gaza at Israel, the military said in a statement, adding that three were intercepted and one fell short.

Rocket alerts sounded in Israeli towns and villages near the border after dark, sending residents rushing to shelters. None of Gaza's militant groups claimed responsibility for the rocket fire.

Residents in Gaza said Israeli aircraft struck at least three sites belonging to Hamas, the Islamist group which controls the enclave.

The Israeli military confirmed in a statement it had carried out the air strikes, adding that "the Hamas terror organization is solely responsible for all events that transpire in the Gaza Strip and emanate from it."

There were no immediate reports of casualties in any of the incidents.