Israel Defense Force (IDF) confirmed on Friday that its fighter jets bombed the northern GazaStrip Friday morning, and the target is local militants preparing to fire rockets to Israel.

IDF said the militants belong to a pro-al-Qaida group operating in the Hamas-controlled strip.

According to the army, the airstrike hit the rocket launching pad and militants. And Israeli media cited Palestinian emergency services as saying that four Palestinians were wounded in the air raid with some in serious conditions.

The airstrike came one day after five mortar shells hit western Negev, local daily Ha'aretz said that no injuries or damage were reported.

Hamas Interior Minister Fathi Hammad last week announced that the group had reached an agreement with other armed organizations to halt rocket attacks at Israel for the time being in order to avoid Israel's retaliation.

Last winter, Israel conducted a large-scale offensive in Gaza, killing over 1,300 Palestinians and destroying thousands of houses and public facilities. 13 Israelis died during the operation, which Israel said was launched in response to eight years of rocket attacks at its southern land and meant to put an end to the hostile fire.

While accusing Palestinian militants of attempting to rebuild their arsenal by smuggling weapons into Gaza through underground tunnels at the Gaza-Sinai border, Israel has frequently carried out air raids at Gaza.

(Xinhua News Agency November 28, 2009)