People inspect the site of an Israeli airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, Jan. 31, 2020. Israeli fighting planes carried out several airstrikes on military sites and facilities in the Gaza Strip in response to an earlier rocket attack, security sources said. (Photo by Khaled Omar/Xinhua)
GAZA, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Israeli fighting planes carried out late on Wednesday night several airstrikes on military sites and facilities in the Gaza Strip in response to an earlier rocket attack, security sources said.
The sources said that at least two successive airstrikes were carried out in southern and northern Gaza Strip, adding the Israeli warplanes hovered over Gaza and several explosions were heard. No injuries were reported.
The Israeli aerial attack was carried out a few hours after unknown militants fired a rocket from the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip into Israel. The rocket has not caused any injuries or damage, according to Israeli media reports.
No one claimed responsibility for firing the rocket into southern Israel. The Israeli army held the Hamas movement, which has been ruling the Gaza Strip since 2007 responsible for attacks carried out from the enclave into Israel.
Earlier on Wednesday afternoon, Israeli warplanes carried out an airstrike on northern Gaza Strip in response to launching arson balloons from the Hamas-ruled coastal enclave, into Israel, security sources said.
The sources said that an Israeli army reconnaissance pilotless drone fired at least one missile at a group of Palestinian activists were trying to release dozens of arson balloons from northern Gaza Strip into southern Israel.
The sources said that the activists survived and no injuries or damages were reported.
Earlier this week, Israeli war jets carried out several airstrikes against positions and facilities that belong to Palestinian military wings in the Gaza Strip also in response to launching arson balloons into Israel.
Launching arson balloons and balloons carrying explosives had started after the Palestinians organized the weekly anti-Israel protests and rallies better known as the Great March of Return in late March 2018.
The weekly protests stopped after Egypt, the United Nations and Qatar had mediated a calm understanding between Israel and Hamas movement, which has been ruling the Gaza Strip since 2007.
Two weeks ago, Palestinian activists resumed launching balloons from the Gaza Strip into Israel to protest to keeping the Israeli blockade, which began in 2007, imposed on the coastal enclave.
