GAZA, Aug. 3 (Xinhua) -- The Islamic Hamas movement on Monday condemned Israeli overnight airstrikes on Gaza Strip as an "assault and a message of escalation."
"The strikes are aimed at exporting Israel's internal crises and distracting the public's attention towards the people in the Gaza Strip amid Israeli internal political complications," said Hamas Spokesperson Fawzi Barhoum in a press statement.
"The Palestinian resistance is well aware of the occupation's schemes and knows how to deal with it, and will not allow Gaza to be its backyard," the statement added.
Barhoum warned that the Gaza based resistance groups will "address the enemy in accordance with its vision."
Israeli warplanes struck several sites belonging to Hamas in central and southern Gaza Strip overnight, according to the Israeli army.
The Israeli army said the strikes targeted a cement factory that is used for works in "underground facilities used by the group."
The strikes came a few hours after the Iron Dome missile defense system intercepted a rocket fired from Gaza towards southern Israel.
The rocket triggered sirens in the Israeli settlements surrounding the blockaded enclave.
No injuries were reported but a fragment of the Iron Dome interception missile hit a vehicle back windshield in Sderot, said the Israeli army.
on June 5, rockets were launched from Gaza towards Israel, to which the Israeli army responded by bombing military facilities belonging to Hamas. Enditem
