Seven Qassams hit Negev; Olmert vows 'painful' response

Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip on Sunday launched seven Qassam rockets into southern Israel, six of them just hours after Prime Minister Ehud Olmert promised a 'painful, uncompromising response' to Palestinian rocket fire.

One of the rockets struck in a field in the Sha'ar Hanegev region. Another exploded in the backyard of a Sderot home, causing damage. A third launched earlier in the day hit near Ashkelon,

There were no casualties reported in any of the strikes.

Olmert's vow came a day after ten rockets were fired at Israel from the coastal territory, bringing the number of projectiles launched from Gaza since the truce to more than 100.

Speaking before the weekly cabinet meeting, Olmert accused Hamas of using Qassam rockets to make up for their losses suffered during the three-week Israel Defense Forces offensive in the Gaza Strip which ended in late January.

"Hamas is trying to recover from the stiff blow they suffered during Operation Cast Lead through the use of terror," Olmert said.

Olmert said that Israel would respond to rocket fire until "terror groups understand that Israel will not accept these attacks." He also said that Israel's response will not adhere "to the expectations of terrorists," and include a wide array of operations that can implemented "until quiet is restored to the South."

Six of the rockets fired Saturday targeted Gaza-area communities, two hit Ashkelon, one landed in the Eshkol district and one near Sdot Negev area, the IDF said.

There were no casualties or property damage in the rocket attacks, with the exception of an empty schoolyard in Ashkelon that suffered some damage.

Israel launched a three-week offensive into the Gaza Strip on Dec. 26th, in response to continued rocket fire on southern communities over the last several years. During the operation, 10 IDF soldiers and three Israeli civilians were killed, in addition to over 1,300 Palestinians, according to Palestinian sources.