Israel Bombards Gaza Strip Since Early Morning

Israeli military forces struck the Gaza Strip early Friday morning, just hours after Hamas fired four rockets towards Israel, according to the Times of Israel.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that airstrikes targeted a "unique" facility used by Hamas for underground rocket manufacturing.

"The strike was carried out in response to the rocket fire from Gaza into Israeli territory," the IDF statement said.

The commander of the so-called 'fire center' of the Israeli military's southern command, which coordinates offensive operations, stated that the site was bombarded with 19 tons of munitions.

In response to the airstrikes, Palestinians reportedly fired machine guns at Israeli aircraft.

No Palestinian group has claimed responsibility for the rocket fire, but the IDF stated that Hamas is accountable.

The rocket launch occurred just hours after a member of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad was killed during an Israeli military operation in the Jenin area of the West Bank.

The last time rockets were fired from Gaza towards Israel was in August, with approximately 1,175 rockets launched in total.