Israeli warplanes strike Gaza in response to rocket attack

Gaza/JERUSALEM, March 25 (Xinhua) -- Israeli warplanes attacked on Monday evening military posts and facilities that belong to militant groups in the Gaza Strip in response to earlier rocket attack into Israel.

Israeli drones and warplanes hovered over the coastal enclave, where several explosions have been heard in various areas in Gaza city and the entire enclave, according to eyewitnesses, security sources and local media reports.

A Xinhua reporter said that two large explosions were heard in northern Gaza Strip while Israeli army drones were hovering over Gaza city, and hospitals all over the coastal enclave declared a status of emergency.

Security officials in Gaza said that Israeli warplanes struck two Hamas military facilities and training compounds in northern Gaza Strip. Ambulances rushed to the scene and no injuries were reported after Gaza militants evacuated their posts and military compounds.

Earlier, seven Israelis were injured and severe damage was caused to several houses in the Hasharon area north of Tel Aviv in central Israel after a long-range rocket was fired from the Gaza Strip into central Israel.

The Israeli cabinet had approved earlier on Monday a military operation against militant groups all over the Gaza Strip. No one has claimed responsibility for the rocket attack.

Fawzi Barhoum, Hamas movement's spokesman in Gaza, said in a press statement that "if the Israeli occupation commits any stupidity against Gaza and its resistance, the cost will exceed all its evaluations."

Meanwhile, Israel's military said that its air force has launched a series of airstrikes at the Gaza Strip on Monday, citing retaliation over an earlier rocket attack at central Israel.

"The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) has begun striking Hamas terror targets throughout the Gaza Strip," a military notice said.