The Israeli Air Force bombed a Hamas post in the Gaza Strip overnight after terrorists in the coastal enclave fired a rocket into Israel's south.
The rocket was launched at 11:30 p.m. but did not trigger the local Color Red alert system in Israeli border communities because it was headed for an unpopulated open area.
No injuries or damage were reported and security forces were combing the area to determine whether the rocket hit on the Israeli or the Palestinian side of the border.
The IDF said the IAF struck a Hamas post in northern Gaza in retaliation.
"The IDF holds Hamas responsible for all that transpires in the Gaza Strip [including attacks by other terrorist groups]," the IDF said in a statement.
Also on Thursday, IDF soldiers arrested four Palestinians who breached the Israel-Gaza border. One was found to be carrying two knives and a grenade.
The four were taken into custody for questioning. It was still unclear whether they were planning a terrorist attack or possibly had crossed the border with the aim of being arrested in an attempt to escape the hardships in Gaza.
An IDF official said the military has noted a rise recently in the number of Palestinians crossing illegally from Gaza into Israel because of the dire humanitarian situation there.
The defense establishment has repeatedly warned that Gaza is on the brink of a humanitarian disaster.
