The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) carried out a "large-scale attack" on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip overnight Saturday, in a flare-up sparked after Israeli soldiers were wounded by an explosive device along the Palestinian enclave's border, i24NEWS reports.
Israeli jets pounded 18 Hamas targets throughout the Strip in two waves of air strikes over a 24-hour period.
"Eight targets were attacked in a military compound near Deir el Balah, which belongs to the Hamas terror organization, including weapon-manufacturing and training infrastructures," an IDF statement released early Sunday read.
An earlier statement said the fighter jets had targeted "six military targets in Gaza belonging to Hamas, including: a terror tunnel in the Zaytun area and military compounds near Deir el-Balah and Khan Yunis".
Two Palestinians were killed in the Israeli strikes, the Gaza health ministry said, identifying the fatalities as Salam Sabah and Abdullah Abu Sheikha, both 17, from Rafah.
According to Palestinian eye witnesses, the two were killed by shots near the border.