| Advertisement |
Feb. 8 (UPI) -- Israeli tanks shelled two Hamas military posts in the northern Gaza strip Saturday in what the Israeli army described as retaliation for a rocket launched toward Israel from Gaza. Reports differ on whether official sirens or cell phone alarms sounded as the rockets fell, but all sources reported the rockets did not cause any casualties.
Advertisement
"It seems that the rocket fell in an open area. No one was hurt and there was no property damage," the regional council said.
Reports differ on whether the rocket triggered sirens in the area, with Israeli Defense Forces telling the Times of Israel only cell phone alarms were triggered and Haaretz .
Shortly after the rocket fell, Israeli Defense Forces said it had retaliated for the rocket launch by shelling Hamas posts in Gaza.
"A short while ago IDF tanks struck two military positions belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization in the northern Gaza strip. The strike came in response to the rocket fired toward Israel earlier on," the IDF said.
Exchange of fire between Israel and Palestinian factions -- including rockets and explosive-laden balloons -- in the Gaza strip has increased since the Jan. 28 release of U.S. President Donald Trump's plan for peace in the region.
The plan calls for Israel to cede some territory it currently occupies to Palestine but also for a demilitarized Palestinian state.
It was developed through U.S.-Israeli negotiation without Palestinian input, triggering protests and prompting Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to cut ties with the United States and Israel after the plan was released.
