JERUSALEM, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Israel's military carried out strikes in the southern Gaza Strip on Wednesday in what Defense Minister Israel Katz described as a response to an alleged failed rocket launch from the enclave.

The Israeli military said in a statement that it targeted "several launch posts in the area where the projectile was fired from." According to the military, a projectile was fired from Gaza earlier in the day but fell inside the enclave.

Katz, in another statement, said that the strikes signaled to Hamas that "even during the ceasefire, we will not allow any threat to the communities ... and we will respond forcefully to any attempt by Hamas to harm our civilians."

Palestinian media on Wednesday reported Israeli strikes on agricultural lands east of Khan Younis in southern Gaza. Photos online showed a large plume of black smoke rising. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

A fragile ceasefire has been in place in Gaza since Jan. 19, but Israel has continued to carry out occasional strikes, saying they targeted activities posing threats to its forces. Enditem

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