After the Israeli military claimed to have conducted a succession of airstrikes against Islamic Jihad rocket launchers, Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip fired more than 60 rockets at Israel.
At least one Palestinian has been fatally wounded, according to medical personnel.
There have been no reports of severe injuries in Israel, where the majority of rockets were reportedly intercepted.
It comes one day after 15 Palestinians, including three Islamic Jihad leaders, were slain by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza.
Islamic Jihad vowed vengeance, but overnight there were no missile launches. Instead, the group warned Israel to anticipate a response at any time and from any location.
The prime minister of Israel stated that any militant escalation would be greeted with a crushing response.
According to Palestinians, Wednesday’s exchange of fire began with a series of deafening explosions in southern Gaza that emitted thick clouds of smoke.
According to the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), an aircraft targeted Islamic Jihad members traveling in a vehicle to a hidden missile launcher in the Khan Younis region.
Palestinian health officials reported one fatality and one significant injury. Their identities were initially obscure.
About an hour later, the IDF announced that it had begun attacking Islamic Jihad’s underground missile launchers across the territory to thwart planned attacks.
The Palestinian media reported demonstrations in the cities of Gaza City and Bait Lahia.
Not long after, militants began launching barrages of missiles from Gaza, and rocket sirens sounded in southern Israeli communities.
Officials in Israel reported that a rocket struck an empty home in the municipality of Sderot. Which is only 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) from the Gaza border fence.
A hospital in the city of Ashkelon reported treating two persons who were injured while evacuating to a bomb shelter and three others who were suffering from anxiety.
Later, missiles hit central Israel, triggering sirens in Tel Aviv, 80 kilometres (50 miles) from Gaza.
In one video, explosions were audible as two missiles were intercepted over Jaffa. The IDF provided no immediate confirmation.
Meanwhile, tensions remain elevated in the occupied West Bank following Israel’s nocturnal arrest raids. Two Palestinians were slain by Israeli forces, who claimed that the two had opened fire on them.
