Following a barrage of rockets launched by Hamas toward southern Israeli towns on Sunday, Israel retaliated.

The IDF reported targeting the Gaza Strip rocket launchers used in the earlier attacks on Israel.

The rockets, launched from central Gaza, targeted Ashdod and Ashkelon on Sunday evening, causing reported damage and leaving debris in several areas.

Out of the ten rockets fired, Israeli forces intercepted five.

“Approximately five projectiles were successfully intercepted by the IAF [Israeli Air Force],” the military stated, adding that “Falls were identified in several areas.”

“IDF Home Front Command soldiers are dispatched to the scenes and are operating in cooperation with Israeli security forces.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, after being briefed on the attack, ordered a “forceful response” and approved the IDF to intensify operations against Hamas in Gaza.

Defense Minister Israel Katz stated he instructed the IDF to broaden the military operation and inflict a “heavy blow” on Hamas in response to the rocket launches, adding, “For every shrapnel that harms a resident of Ashkelon, the Hamas murderers must pay a heavy price.”

The IDF shared footage on X showing a neighborhood struck by a rocket, with emergency vehicles and first responders present at the scene in a residential area.

“This is just one neighborhood in Israel hit by Hamas rocket fire tonight,” the post read, continuing, “Hamas continues to hide behind Gazan civilians while firing at Israeli civilians.”

“We will continue to defend Israelis from the threat of terrorism,” the IDF affirmed.

These recent rocket attacks occurred amidst ongoing IDF operations targeting terrorist cells in the Middle East. Last week, Israel conducted strikes on Syrian military airfields, sending “a clear message to Turkey not to interfere with Israeli aerial operations in Syrian airspace.”

On Friday, the IDF confirmed the killing of a terrorist responsible for the deaths of Shiri, Kfir, and Ariel Bibas.

“As part of his role in the terrorist organization, Mohammad Awad was actively involved until his death in recruiting terror operatives in Judea and Samaria and within Israel, through whom he used to plan and carry out attacks against Israelis,” the IDF stated.

‘ Yael Rotem-Kuriel, Caitlin McFall and Efrat Lachter contributed to this report.

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