Israel hits 34 targets in Gaza after rocket attack

Rockets fired from the enclave continue to rain down on southern Israel after massive air raid

After the discovery of the bodies of the three kidnapped Israeli teens Monday evening, tensions continued to soar between Israel and Hamas Tuesday as a barrage of rockets hit southern portions of the country.

"We're preparing a plan to advance an operation in the Strip. The objective is to avoid escalation and act responsibly" an unnamed Israeli army source told Israeli daily Ynet.

Over 20 rockets fired from Gaza hit in a 24-hour period, including four Tuesday morning. Two rockets exploded in a kibbutz, causing damage to vehicles and buildings.

Meanwhile, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) struck 34 targets in Khan Yunis and Rafah overnight in central and southern Gaza in response to the rain of rockets.

According to experts, the operation was the most comprehensive one carried out by the IAF since Operation Pillar of Defense, which was launched after over 100 rockets were fired into Israel in a 24-hour period in November of 2012.

“The IDF will continue to act decisively and as necessary against any party, until peace and the normal lives of the residents of the State of Israel are restored,” the army said in a statement, which placed the responsibility for the rocket fire on Hamas.

Early Monday morning, a fifth rocket was launched against Israel, but seemed to fail to cross the border into Israeli territory.

At least 16 rockets were fired at Israel Monday morning, most of them hitting open areas in the Eshkol region, the army said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened Hamas Monday in response to the barrage of rockets fired at Israel.

"If the quiet achieved in wake of Pillar of Defense will be broken, and the rocket fire continues, then there will be two options: Either Hamas puts an end to rocket fire, or we put an end to it," Netanyahu said.

Finance Minister Yair Lapid said: "Hamas is responsible for every rocket fired from Gaza, and Hamas will pay the price."

i24news correspondent Yoav Borowitz reported from the town of Sderot that authorities have decided to extend the school year, which was supposed to end Monday, until July 24th to ensure that 4,000 school kids remain safe in fortified buildings and do not wander the streets.

Early Monday morning, the Israeli military issued a statement saying that it struck terrorists “in the southern Gaza Strip, during​ their final preparations to launch rockets at civilian communities of southern Israel.”

Palestinian sources said an operative of the Hamas armed wing was killed in the attack and several others injured in a targeted hit at a terrorist cell behind some of the recent rocket attacks.

The area that the rockets were fired from are considered to be firmly under the control of Hamas' military wing, known as the Izz-a-din al Kassam.

Up until now, Hamas had largely been careful to uphold the letter of the ceasefire agreement brokered by Egypt at the end of the operation and it was smaller terror groups like the Islamic Jihad and local Salafi groups that did the firing.

“Hamas is responsible for the outrageous attacks originating from Gaza, and will be pursued as such,” Israeli military Spokesman Lt. Col. Peter Lerner said.

Prior to the Israeli strike two mortars from Gaza landed in southern Israel, which were followed by six rockets, two of which were intercepted by the Iron Dome anti-missile defense system over Netivot.