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Gaza rocket hits city of Ashkelon Israeli planes hit Gaza tunnels
(about 5 hours later)
A long-range Grad rocket fired by Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip has landed in the city of Ashkelon, Israeli police say. Israeli planes have bombed smuggling tunnels on Gaza's border with Egypt, the Israeli military says.
No-one was injured in the attack - the first involving a Grad rocket since the separate ceasefires announced by Israel and Hamas on 18 January. The raid came after a rocket fired from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip hit the Israeli city of Ashkelon.
Other rockets and mortars have been launched from Gaza, however, and Israel has bombed targets in Gaza. The two attacks are the latest from both sides since they declared separate ceasefires on 18 January after a three-week Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip.
Israel's three-week operation killed 1,300 people in the strip. About 1,300 Palestinians and 13 Israelis died in fighting as Israel tried to stop rocket fire from Gaza.
It also caused massive destruction. Israel had warned of a harsh response to any further rocket fire from Gaza after the long-range Grad rocket hit Ashkelon on Tuesday.
Thirteen Israelis were killed during the violence, 10 of them soldiers. It is the first attack on Israel involving a Grad rocket since the 18 January ceasefires.
The operation was launched to halt or significantly reduce rocket fire from Gaza, and to degrade the military capability of the Hamas militant group that controls the territory. Other rockets and mortars have been launched from Gaza, however, and Israel has bombed targets in the narrow coastal territory.
No casualties have been reported in either of the latest attacks.
"I suggest Hamas doesn't fool around with us," said Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak.
"The air force is operating in Gaza as we speak. We promised calm in the south and we will keep our promise."
There has been no word on which group was behind Tuesday's rocket attack, but the Israeli prime minister's spokesman, Mark Regev, accused Hamas of trying to undermine the ceasefire.There has been no word on which group was behind Tuesday's rocket attack, but the Israeli prime minister's spokesman, Mark Regev, accused Hamas of trying to undermine the ceasefire.
Ashkelon, a city of 122,000 people, is 12 km (7 miles) from northern Gaza.Ashkelon, a city of 122,000 people, is 12 km (7 miles) from northern Gaza.
The city is out of range of the standard rockets and mortars fired by Palestinian militants. Factory-produced Grad rockets, which are smuggled into Gaza from neighbouring Egypt, have a longer reach.The city is out of range of the standard rockets and mortars fired by Palestinian militants. Factory-produced Grad rockets, which are smuggled into Gaza from neighbouring Egypt, have a longer reach.