UPDATE.Israeli Aggression Renewed Against Gaza, Two Injured Reported

Half an hour ago, a loud explosion was heard throughout Gaza. Two Israeli artillery shells targeted Al-Zaytun, a neighborhood southeast of Gaza city, according to witnesses and residents in the region. No injuries have been reported yet.

A Palestinian child was severely wounded and her father was injured in an Israeli airstrike that targeted a house in Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza city at dawn Sunday. Israeli warplanes targeted a house with three missiles, destroying parts of the house and setting it on fire, as well as damaging neighboring houses.

The father was reported to be in moderate condition.

The Israeli military said in a statement early Sunday that it targeted a weapons factory in response to 17 rockets fired at Israel over the weekend landed in an open area in the Eshkol Regional Council. No injuries or damage were reported.

"Direct hits were confirmed and secondary explosions were identified," the statement added. "The site was targeted in response to the ongoing rocket fire from the Gaza Strip."

Violence has flared in recent days between Gaza and Israel after Israeli airstrikes killed an Islamic Jihad fighter on Wednesday, and two affiliates of Fatah and Hamas' armed wings on Thursday.

An airstrike Friday killed a 12-year-old boy and his 42-year-old father who lived in a house near a targeted site. Three militants were also killed in airstrikes last week.

About 20 rockets were launched on Friday and Saturday, the Israeli army said, causing no serious casualties but disrupting daily life in southern Israel.

The Israeli army expressed regret that civilians were hurt but blamed Gaza's Hamas rulers for operating within residential areas.

Gaza resistance forces fired 12 rockets at Israel on Friday, none causing casualties or damage. The Popular Resistance Committees assumed responsibility for five of them.

Israeli media reported Friday night that Israeli top military brass was holding consultations on the latest developments.

Israel frequently targets Palestinian resistance forces, it says are about to fire rockets over the border, or attack Gaza in response to such rocket fire. It also carries out targeted attacks against specific armed wing of the resistance.

Meanwhile, Israeli cabinet ministers addressed on Sunday the recent spike in rocket fire and the possibility of a military operation in the Gaza Strip. Speaking on his way to a cabinet meeting, Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz told Israel Radio that Israel cannot accept Iranian and Hamas missile bases in the Strip and will be forced to act militarily in Gaza sooner or later, jpost reported.