The IDF on Friday struck the launcher from which two projectiles were launched toward Israeli territory earlier in the day in the area of Al-Furqan in northern Gaza.
“The Hamas terrorist organization deliberately placed the launcher near a humanitarian area in Al-Furqan,” said the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit in a statement.
Prior to the strike, the statement said, numerous steps were taken to minimize the risk of harming civilians, including the use of aerial surveillance, additional intelligence and precise munitions.
“This is further evidence of Hamas' systematic exploitation of civilians and civilian structures for terrorist activities throughout the Gaza Strip,” said the IDF statement.
Sirens were sounded on Friday afternoon, around 4:30 p.m. in the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon.
The IDF later said that two projectiles that were fired from northern Gaza were intercepted by the IAF.
On Thursday afternoon, sirens were sounded in central Israel following rocket launches from Gaza.
The rockets are the first launched from Gaza since the first stage of the ceasefire deal between Israel and the Hamas terror group expired on March 1.
The IDF said that three projectiles were identified crossing from southern Gaza into Israeli territory, adding that one projectile was successfully intercepted and two additional projectiles fell in an open area.
(Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)