PM: Hamas would do well to take into account Israel's policy of responding ...

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu responded to the possible escalation in Gaza at the opening of the weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday.

'We must preserve quiet in the South. We will do this through the policy of preemptive strikes, and through a powerful response to those trying to hurt us,' he said, adding, 'I recommend that Hamas take note of this policy.'

The prime minister's comments came after the IAF struck targets in Gaza on Sunday morning, seriously injuring a member of the Islamic Jihad who was involved in last week's rocket attacks on Israel.

The target, named as Ahmed Sa'ad, took part in the firing of rockets at southern Israeli communities, the IDF said, and planned further attacks in the near future.

Palestinian media sources said a missile struck a 22-year-old motorcyclist in Gaza who sustained serious injuries, along with a 12-year-old boy who suffered moderate injuries.

'We acted to remove an immediate threat to Israeli civilians,' the IDF spokesman said. 'Sa'ad was personally responsible for the firing of rockets at Ashkelon last Thursday,' he added, referring to an attack that saw five rockets fired at the southern city in the middle of the night, setting off air raid sirens. The Iron Dome anti-rocket system intercepted all of the projectiles heading to Ashkelon in that attack.

Sa'ad was also involved in planting rocket launchers, the IDF spokesman added. During Operation Pillar of Defense, in November 2012, and an earlier escalation, in March 2012, Sa'ad fired rockets at Israel as well, according to the military.

According to Palestinian news agency Ma'an, two other Israeli air strikes on sites used to train Palestinian militants in central and southern Gaza left no reported injuries.

The IDF has been on alert in the south since Thursday for the eventuality of a security escalation. The air force, intelligence units, and the Operations Branch are prepared for a potential escalation.

Security sources said Hamas must enforce the truce arrangement in place since the end of Operation Pillar of Defense, adding that the coming hours will tell whether Hamas understands that fact or not.

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