IAF strikes Gaza Strip in response to Kassam fire

Air Force bombs terror base in central Gaza, smuggling tunnel in southern strip after Kassam rocket explodes near Ashkelon-area kibbutz.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Kassam cradled by terrorist 311 (photo credit: Associated Press)
Kassam cradled by terrorist 311
(photo credit: Associated Press)
In a joint operation with the Shin Bet (Israel Security Service), the IAF Tuesday night struck a terror base in central Gaza and a smuggling tunnel in the southern Strip, according to the IDF spokesperson.
The IDF spokesperson said that the airstrikes were in response to Kassam fire from the Strip into Israeli territory Tuesday afternoon.
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The Kassam rocket, fired from the northern Gaza Strip, exploded near a kibbutz in the Ashkelon area.
The IDF spokesman said in a statement that it "holds the Hamas terrorist organization solely responsible for maintaining the calm in the Gaza Strip and for any terrorist activity emanating from it."
The spokesman said the IDF would also "continue to respond harshly to any attempt to use terror against the State of Israel."
There were no reports of casualties in the attack, though a greenhouse sustained some damage.
Sappers were scouring the area.
On Saturday, two people were wounded in an IAF strike on Gaza, according to Palestinian rescue services.
The IAF hit three targets in Gaza, including a weapons manufacturing factory in Central Gaza.  Direct hits were confirmed.
That attack came in response to the firing of a Kassam rocket from the Gaza Strip that landed in a Sha'ar Hanegev regional council kibbutz overnight Friday leading to one woman suffering shock.