Israeli strikes target Hamas in Gaza

GAZA CITY — Israel targeted Hamas in air strikes on Gaza early Saturday after rockets were fired at it from the Palestinian enclave, Israeli forces said, two days after a fragile ceasefire began.

Hamas, the Islamist movement that has de facto control over the Gaza Strip, had been spared the brunt of Israeli bombardment during last week's flare-up.

A ceasefire has been in place since Thursday morning.

The army said it launched Saturday's strikes after "two rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip towards Israeli territory" and were intercepted by air defences.

It was not immediately known who fired the rockets. Palestinian security sources said the Israeli strikes were aimed at two Hamas sites in the north of the territory.

There were no reports of casualties.

It was the first time Hamas had been hit since this week's assault began with Israel's targeted killing of a top Islamic Jihad commander early on Tuesday.

That strike triggered almost immediate retaliatory rocket fire from Islamic Jihad.

After two days of fighting which killed 34 Palestinians and no Israelis, a ceasefire was agreed.

But it has so far been precarious, with fire coming from both sides after the agreement went into effect.