Israel strikes Gaza in retaliation for mortar attacks

Israeli airstrikes hit three terror sites in Gaza in response to shelling on southern Israel, the Israeli military said. 

The sites targeted late Tuesday night were a terrorist tunnel and a terrorist activity site in the central Gaza Strip, and a terrorist activity site in the northern Gaza Strip, according to the Israel Defense Forces.

Eight Palestinians were lightly injured, according to Israeli media citing Palestinian sources.

Terrorists use the tunnel to infiltrate into Israel and perpetrate terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers, the IDF said.

Four mortar shells fired from Gaza on Tuesday hit southern Israel, damaging a car and an irrigation hose. The al-Quds Brigade, the military wing of the terrorist group Islamic Jihad, claimed responsibility for the attacks. No one was injured.

Three long-range Grad-style missiles were fired into Israel a week ago, with one narrowly missing a wedding reception in the southern city of Netivot.

More than 40 mortar shells, Kassam rockets and Grad rockets have been fired from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory since the beginning of 2011, the IDF said.