GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Israeli war planes launched four airstrikes in central and southern Gaza early Thursday morning, witnesses and the army said.

No injuries were reported.

Locals told Ma'an that Israeli fighter jets shelled three open areas and a site used by Hamas' armed wing the al-Qassam Brigades in Khan Younis in the south and Deir al-Balah in central Gaza.

The Israeli army said its forces targeted "three terror activity sites" in central Gaza and a weapons storage facility in the southern Gaza Strip.

"Direct hits were confirmed," the military said in a statement.

The army said the strikes were in response to a grad rocket which landed near the city of Ashdod in southern Israel on Wednesday. An Israeli military spokeswoman said Wednesday that the rocket had caused no injury or damage.

The airstrikes were the first aerial attack on Gaza since Oct. 1, when Israeli fighter jets struck northern Gaza seriously injuring one man and wounding two others. An Israeli army spokeswoman said forces struck Beit Hanoun targeting militants attempting to fire a rocket into Israel.