IDF bombs seven Gaza tunnels, Hamas post; Qassam hits Negev

Israel Air Force warplanes early Wednesday bombed a Hamas post in the southern Gaza Strip town of Khan Yunis and struck seven smuggling tunnels on the coastal territory's border with Egypt.

Hours after the attacks, Palestinian militants fired a Qassam rocket at the western Negev. The rocket exploded in a field in the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council, causing no casualties or damages.

The IAF launched its attacks in a response to the firing of a mortar round by Palestinian militants into Israel on Tuesday evening.

On Monday, Israel twice bombed tunnels on the Philadelphi Route.

The Israel Defense Forces spokesman said the strike Monday targeted tunnels used to smuggle weapons in from Egypt, and was retaliation for the rocket attacks earlier that day.

Palestinian rockets hit Israel Monday morning, as talks dragged on over a long-term truce that would bring quiet to Israel's south and the coastal territory.

Two rockets fired from Gaza hit southern Israel Monday, one exploding in an open area in the Sha'ar Hanegev region and the other hitting inside a kibbutz in the Sdot Negev region. No injuries were reported in either incident, but some property sustained damage.

Gaza rockets are a near-daily occurrence in southern Israel, even after the devastating three-week Israeli offensive in Gaza that was meant to bring a halt to the fire.

Israel ended its military offensive in Gaza on Jan. 18, and the territory's Islamic Hamas rulers declared a cease-fire the same day. But sporadic violence has continued as Egypt tries to mediate a long-term truce.