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Israel responded with heavy fire after five rockets from Gaza landed Wednesday in populated areas of southern Israel, marking "the most substantial attack" in two years against the country, the Israeli military said, according to CNN. 

The military wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, called the Al-Quds Brigade, claimed responsibility for firing dozens of missiles on what it called "Israeli settlements."

In response, Israel launched airstrikes on three areas in Gaza -- Rafah, Khan Younis and Jabalia -- that are believed to belong to Islamic Jihad, according to security sources in Gaza. A Hamas spokesman texted CNN to say they counted six airstrikes, but claimed they were against bases that were empty.

In all, the Israeli military targeted "29 terror sites" in Gaza, the military said on its Twitter page.

"Direct hits were confirmed," the military tweeted.

"In today's attack, 41 rockets struck in Israel, five hit populated areas and three were intercepted by the Iron Dome defense system," the military said in another statement. "This is the most substantial rocket attack from the Gaza Strip since Operation Pillar of Defense in November 2012."

Islamic Jihad and Hamas, which is the Palestinian movement running Gaza, evacuated their military and civilian institutions on expectation of Israeli reprisals, the security sources in Gaza said.

In the wake of the attack, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman told Israeli army radio that "the position of my party Israel Beitanyu is that we support the full occupation of the whole of Gaza in any possible future action."

Liberman opposed a response short of full occupation. "I am against a limited operation," he said.