Israel bombs Gaza for second day in a row after Palestinian rocket fire

Israeli forces bombed two Hamas military posts on Wednesday after Palestinian militants fired rockets at southern Israel from Gaza for the second day in a row, the army said.

Three rockets were fired from the besieged enclave on Wednesday afternoon, with one causing light damage to a home in southern Israel.

In response, Israeli tanks fired artillery shells at Hamas positions in Beit Lahiya. There were no reports of injuries.

The latest incident comes after the Israeli army struck 15 sites overnight that it said belonged to Hamas in the northern and central Gaza Strip.

It said the strikes were in response to the rockets fired towards Ashdod which forced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cut short a speech in the southern city of Ashdod late Tuesday.

The right-wing premier is campaigning for re-election in 17 September parliamentary polls.

On Tuesday Netanyahu announced his intention to annex a large part of the occupied West Bank if re-elected.

The announcement drew widespread condemnation from Palestinian officials and the international community.

There have been concerns about a possible violent escalation in the run-up to Israel's general election.

Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since 2008.