Israel bombs Gaza tunnels in response to Qassam fire

Gaza militants fired three Qassam rockets into Israel on Thursday, one of which struck the yard of home in the southern town of Sderot.

In retaliation, the Israel Air Force twice bombed smuggling tunnels in Gaza, near the border with Egypt. Five tunnels were targeted in the afternoon Thursday, and two additional tunnels were bombed Thursday evening. No one was hurt in the strikes.

A number of people in Sderot were treated for shock after the attack, which caused damage to property. A second rocket hit an open area in the Sha'ar Hanegev region.

Later Thursday evening, a third Qassam rocket hit the Eshkol region in the western Negev. No injuries or damage were reported.

Gazans use the tunnels under the border with Egypt to smuggle weapons, food and other goods into the blockaded territory.

Ending the arms smuggling was one objective of the three-week military offensive Israel recently conducted in Gaza.

Palestinian militants also fired two Qassams into Israel on Wednesday. Following the rocket strikes, the IAF bombed seven smuggling tunnels along the Gaza-Egypt border, the army said.

The cease-fire that ended Israel's 22-day offensive against Hamas in Gaza on January 18 has been ruptured by intermittent fighting.

Egypt has been trying to broker a long-term truce between Israel and the Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip in the aftermath of the campaign.