In a statement, the military said it was "currently striking Islamic Jihad organisation rocket launching infrastructure in the Gaza Strip".

A Gaza health ministry official told AFP one person was killed.

An AFP journalist saw air strikes hit north of Gaza City, with smoke billowing from the densely-populated territory.

Israel's military said it also fired on militants "who were travelling to a rocket launch site in the city of Khan Yunis" in southern Gaza.

The latest violence comes a day after Israeli air strikes killed 15 Gazans, including top militants from Islamic Jihad and four children, according to a health ministry toll.