Israeli aircraft hit targets in the Gaza Strip on Monday, hours after a rocket fired from the Palestinian territory slammed into southern Israel.

“Three bombs were dropped by the air force on a Hamas military base east of Nusseirat refugee camp,” south of Gaza city, a Palestinian security source said.

The planes also made two raids against Hamas lookout posts along the border with Israel, east of Khan Yunis, and on a base of Islamic Jihad's military wing in the north of the strip, the source said.

Israeli tanks along the border fired at several targets.

The Gaza health ministry said that a total of three people were lightly wounded.

Before dawn the Israeli military said “a projectile fired from the Gaza Strip hit an open area...in southern Israel.” No injuries were reported, it added.

Early in February Israel hit Gaza with tank fire and air strikes that wounded three Palestinians in response to a projectile fired from the Palestinian territory which did not inflict casualties.

On February 16, Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman warned Gaza's Hamas rulers that he would respond harshly to their “provocation” in future.