Israeli army says it struck two Hamas military positions in the northern Strip in retaliation for three rockets that were fired minutes earlier.

Axar.az reports citing Haarzetz that an Israeli army tank hit two Hamas military positions in the northern Gaza Strip on Wednesday afternoon in retaliation for three rockets that were fired at Israel minutes earlier, the Israeli military said in a statement.

The Hof Ashkelon Regional Council announced that one of the rockets landed in a greenhouse in one of the communities within its jurisdiction, causing no damage nor injuries. A second rocket landed in another community within the regional council, with one home damaged lightly by shrapnel, the council's spokesman said.

Minutes earlier, the Israeli army said that alerts were activated in Kibbutz Yad Mordechai and in the Netiv Ha'asara community. Local residents reported hearing explosions.

This is the second such exchange in two days. On Tuesday night, rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip towards the Israeli cities of Ashkelon and Ashdod while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was addressing crowds at a campaign rally in the latter city, and had to be taken off the stage mid-speech. Two of the rockets were intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system.