Israeli jets bomb Hamas targets in Gaza Strip: Army

Israeli fighter jets today bombed two suspected weapons-making factories and a smuggling tunnel in the Gaza Strip in retaliation for Palestinian rocket attacks into the Jewish nation, the army said.
 
Israeli aircrafts bombed the targets in the Strip ignoring an announcement of a pact among militant factions to halt attacks on Israel. Palestinian medical sources said that seven people were wounded in the air strikes.
 
An army spokesperson confirmed that the strike was carried out in response to a Kassam rocket launched at an Israeli civilian area yesterday. The rocket hit the Sha'ar Hanegev region, causing no casualties or damage.
 
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said "it would not tolerate any attacks by terror organisations against Israel and its citizens".
 
It said nearly 270 rockets and mortar shells had been fired at its southern territory since the end of 'Operation Cast Lead' on January 18, in comparison to over 3,300 rockets and mortars fired in the year before the operation.
 
Last month had seen approximately 15 rockets and mortar shells fired at Israel from Gaza, the IDF said.
 
Fathi Hamad, Hamas' interior minister in Gaza, was quoted in media reports as saying yesterday that his faction had reached an agreement with other groups to stop attacks from Gaza to avoid IDF reactions.
 
Hamad, however, added that if Israel sent soldiers into the Strip, the armed groups would be given "free rein to respond."
 
Some 1,400 Palestinians were killed in the massive Israeli military offensive in December and January. Thirteen Israelis also were killed.