Islamic Jihad terrorists
Islamic Jihad terroristsReuters

The Islamic Jihad terrorist group is threatening to up the ante and fire long-range rockets at Israel if the IDF strikes in Gaza.

"We intend to expand the range of the rockets if Israel retaliates tonight," the organization’s spokesman said on Wednesday evening, according to Channel 2 News. “We will fire beyond the four-five kilometer range we have fired so far."

The group threatened that a response will come after every Israeli violation of the ceasefire agreement, but at the same time stressed, “We have not ended the ceasefire of the last few months. If Israel sits quietly, we will not fire.”

Islamic Jihad spokesman Abu Ahmed continued his threats, saying, according to Channel 2, “The Al-Quds Brigades has prepared properly for this day."

He added that "I believe that today will be, with God's help, a turning point in our relations with the enemy and in our dealings with it. Every time they kill someone from among our people, the Al-Quds Brigades is obligated to respond - and the response will not be a normal one. We will respond with violence and will respond with barrages of rockets. You have not seen even a bit of the capabilities of Al-Quds until now.”

Earlier, terrorists from the Islamic Jihad fired a barrage of 60 rockets from Gaza towards southern Israel. The group said the attack came in response to Israel’s killing of three Islamic Jihad terrorists in an airstrike on Tuesday.

Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman said following the rocket onslaught that any Israeli response must include the retaking of Gaza.

"Following an attack like this - a barrage of more than 50 rockets - there is no alternative to a full reoccupation of the entire Gaza Strip," he said.

Immediately following the initial barrage, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu threatened a "forceful" response against those responsible.

Shortly afterwards, the Israeli Air Force struck 29 terror targets belonging to Islamic Jihad and Hamas in Gaza.