Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system intercepted five rockets fired at the city of Ashkelon from the Gaza Strip on Thursday, Jan 16, and the military responded with a series of air strikes on the Hamas-controlled territory, according to Reuters.

No group has taken responsibility for firing the rockets, which were shot down by Iron Dome's small radar-guided missiles over Ashkelon, a coastal city of some 125,000 people about 12 km (seven miles) north of Gaza.

Israel says it holds the Islamist group Hamas, which has ruled the Palestinian enclave since 2007, responsible for all cross-border rocket fire.

Palestinian security officials said two Hamas camps were hit by Israel's air strikes and that five people were wounded.