GAZA (BNO NEWS) -- One Palestinian militant on early Wednesday was killed during and Israeli airstrike on southern Gaza Strip, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) informed.

An Israeli Air Force (IAF) aircraft targeted and hit a terrorist squad, the Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of Islamic Jihad in the region which allegedly fired Qassam rockets towards Israeli's communities on Tuesday.

The militant group informed that Mohammad Abu Mu'ammer, 24, was killed during the attack while another man was critically injured. Both were transported to a local hospital after the airstrike near a mosque in the An-Nasser neighborhood in northeastern Rafah.

"The IDF will not allow the Israeli southern communities to continue living under constant threat, and will continue to respond with determination to any attempt to use terror against the citizens of Israel," said the IDF spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yoav Mordechai Avi Benayahu.

In addition, IAF carried out another airstrike on Tuesday night targeting a smuggling tunnel in the Southern Gaza Strip. This strike was also in retaliation for the rocket attacks and direct hits were confirmed.

"The IDF holds the Hamas terrorist organization solely responsible for any terrorist activity emanating from the Gaza Strip. The IDF will not tolerate continued rocket and mortar fire aimed at the communities of southern Israel," added Benayahu.

Over the weekend, IDF announced that the Iron Dome missile defense system was deployed and began its operational trial. The missile defense system is currently in an accelerated process of assimilation in the IAF in order to becoming fully operational.

The order was given by Defense Minister Ehud Barak in light of the recent rocket attacks in southern Israel. The Iron Dome is expected to protect Israel's southern communities from rocket threats coming from the Gaza Strip.

The system uses sophisticated radar to track incoming missiles, intercept and destroy them away from its targets, manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries. It also includes 20 Tamir missile interceptors.

According to the IDF, over 130 mortar shells, Qassam rockets and Grad rockets have been fired from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory since January. From this amount, more than 56 rockets were fired in recent weeks.

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