Israel launches overnight strikes on Gaza 'underground infrastructure'

The Israeli military said Friday it launched overnight airstrikes in the besieged Gaza Strip after Palestinian militants fired two rockets, with no reports of casualties or major damage on either side.

The military said fighter jets and other aircraft struck a weapons manufacturing site and "underground infrastructure" belonging to Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, which rules Gaza.

Hamas reported no casualties from the Israeli strikes on the Nuseirat refugee camp and the southern city of Khan Yunis.

Late on Thursday, Palestinian militants fired two rockets into Israel. One was intercepted by Israeli missile defenses while the other fell in an open area.

Israel and Hamas have fought three wars and several skirmishes since the group seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007.

Israel holds Hamas responsible for all attacks emanating from Gaza, including those claimed by other militant groups.

Israel and Egypt have maintained a crippling blockade on the coastal territory, which is home to 2 million Palestinians, since Hamas took power.

Earlier this week, Israel announced the discovery of an unfinished tunnel dug by militants that had crossed into Israel before it was detected by underground sensors.

Israel has uncovered around 20 such tunnels since the last war with Hamas, in 2014.

An informal truce brokered by Egypt and the United Nations, with the financial support of gas-rich Qatar, has been in force since late 2018.

It has been broken several times but has been restored on each occasion.