Palestinian sources reported that IDF aircrafts struck Gaza targets overnight, in an apparent response to Wednesday's rocket fire on southern Israel.

According to the Gaza sources, the strike targeted a Hamas' Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades' hub in the Strip.

Two Grad rockets were fired from Gaza late Wednesday evening after a period of relative calm in the south.

Receive Ynetnews updates directly to your desktop



Op-Ed Threats beyond the tents Eitan Haber Op-ed: Socioeconomic protest is important, but we must not forget the bigger threats at hand Threats beyond the tents

The first rocket exploded at around 10:30 pm in an open area between Sderot and Kiryat Gat, near a town in the Lakhish Region. The second exploded some two hours later at the entrance to the southern city of Ashkelon. No injuries or damage were reported in either case.

Security forces were able to recover remnants of the first rocket, saying search for those of the second, which apparently fell in agricultural fields near the town, will resume at first light.

The areas in which the rockets fell currently lack the protection of Iron Dome, due to testing being done on the systems. Defense officials said that they will only be redeployed if violence escalates significantly.

Ynet received dozens of emails reporting a rocket alert that sounded in the southern city of Kiryat Gat. Residents of the area also reported hearing loud blasts.

A resident of one of the towns in the Lakhish region told Ynet of the terror. "We heard a very loud blast and hoped that it didn't explode in a house. We were frightened, but we have nowhere to go because many of the residents here don't have bomb shelters," she said.

Ynet heard similar reports from a resident of another town as well. "We don’t have fortified buildings here, either. After the explosion many people came out to the main street to check that it didn’t happen in our town," she said.

Elior Levy, Ynet's Palestinian affairs correspondent, and Yuval Man contributed to this report