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Israeli warplanes struck Gaza early Sunday for the second time in three days after cross-border rocket fire by an Islamist extremist group which is locked in a power struggle with Hamas, The Daily Star reports citing news agencies. 

It was the third time Israel had staged retaliatory airstrikes on the war-torn Gaza Strip in the past fortnight after three instances of rocket fire, all of which were claimed by Salafi extremists loosely allied with ISIS.

During the raids, the air force hit “terrorist infrastructure” in northern Gaza, the military said. The government also ordered the closure until further notice of the Erez crossing for people and the Kerem Shalom crossing for goods.

Israel said it held Hamas responsible for all attacks emanating from the Palestinian enclave, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warning that nobody would prevent Israel from defending itself.

“I have not heard anyone in the international community condemn this firing; neither has the U.N. said a word,” he told ministers at the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting.

“It will be interesting if this silence continues when we use our full strength to uphold our right to defend ourselves. Let it be clear: The spreading hypocrisy in the world will not tie our hands and prevent us from protecting Israel’s citizens.”