Israeli warplanes on Wednesday fired on combatants in eastern Gaza City after they lobbed rockets into southern Israel, sources on both sides said.

"There was an air strike targeting fighters who were firing mortars into Israel in southeastern Gaza City," witnesses told AFP. Medical officials had no immediate reports of any casualties.

An Israeli army spokeswoman confirmed the strike saying the air force "targeted terrorists in an area from which rockets were fired," but added that the troops "confirmed a hit."

Since midnight, militants in Gaza have fired seven mortars and two Grads into Israel, the army said -- most of which were claimed by the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad movement, the Al-Quds Brigades.

Another group called Jaish Al-Umma, a Salafist group close to Al-Qaeda, also claimed responsibility for firing at least one rocket from central Gaza into Israel.