JERUSALEM, Israel -- The Hamas terror group claimed responsibility for escalating rocket and mortar shell attacks on southern Israel in the past 24 hours.

Gaza-based Arab terrorists fired rockets at Israel throughout the day and evening. 

Earlier, the Izz al-Din al-Kassam Brigades, the "armed" wing of Hamas, claimed responsibility for at least 10 of the launches, including three mortars fired at the IDF base at Zikim.

Israeli pilots flew several sorties into Gaza, targeting the rocket-launching cells, killing two Islamic jihad terrorists in one strike and two others in another. Palestinian sources reported one serious injury at a rocket launch pad.

On Monday, four terrorists launched a cross-border attack on an Israeli construction crew, killing an Israeli Arab from Haifa. Golani Brigade soldiers responded, killing two of the terrorists.

Later, Israeli pilots targeted two Islamic jihad terrorists who had opened fire at IDF troops patrolling the border with Gaza.