Gaza hit by Israeli air strikes

Rocket fire from Gaza has decreased sharply since Israel’s 22-day offensive in December 2008

A long-range rocket has been fired from Gaza into Israel, the Israeli military has said. It struck near the town of Ofakim without causing any casualties.

The attack with a Grad-type rocket was the first of its kind in several months, an official said.

Reports also say that a Qassam and four mortars were fired from Gaza yesterday.

An Israeli air strike on Wednesday killed two members of the Army of Islam, a Palestinian militant group.

Grad-type rockets, from a Soviet design, have a range of up to 40km (25 miles), about twice the distance of the Qassam rockets made in Gaza and usually used by Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip.

Rocket fire from Gaza has dropped sharply since Israel’s devastating 22-day offensive in December 2008.

In the past 18 months one Thai farm worker in Israel has been killed by a rocket fired from Gaza.

According to Israeli Defence Force figures, 180 rockets and mortars have been fired into Israel by militants in 2010.

The United Nations says that in 2010, 55 Palestinians, including 22 civilians, have been killed by Israeli military action in Gaza.

The UN says over 200 Palestinians have been injured in the same period.

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