Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz said Tuesday that any official of the Palestinian unity government would not have immunity, as a warning against the continued attacks from the Gaza Strip on Israel.

Peretz made the remarks after a meeting with Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi as well as Southern Command and the head of Military Intelligence, in order to discuss the escalation along the Gaza Strip, Israel's local daily Ha'aretz reported on its website.

During a visit to an army base Tuesday night, the defense minister stressed that "IDF forces are authorized to operate beyond the border with Gaza in order to prevent the firing of Qassams and the planting of bombs."

"Once a red line is crossed, things will be different," Peretz was quoted by local media as saying. "I won't specify what that line is so as not to help the other side, but it is clear that we are following the building of (weapons) tunnels and the gathering of arms."

However, Israeli security and government officials said that the IDF would rather choose a targeted response to the rocket fire than a large-scale military operation.

Earlier on Tuesday morning, tens of Qassams and mortar shells were launched at southern Israel, IDF spokesperson confirmed with Xinhua.

The attack was supposed by IDF officials as a diversionary tactic meant to provide covering fire for an infiltration aimed at kidnapping soldiers.

Immediately after the salvo of rockets and mortars was launched, Israel Air Force helicopter gunships attacked Qassam and mortar launching crews along the border with the Gaza Strip, according to a statement released by the IDF.

The attack is the first time in five months that the military wing of Hamas has claimed responsibility for a Qassam attack on Israel. The group said the strikes were revenge for IDF operations over the weekend, in which nine Palestinians were killed.

The statement also claimed that the Israeli army has been on high alert in recent weeks, ever since receiving intelligence that the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) was planning to abduct soldiers in a raid similar to the one near Kerem Shalom last June in which Cpl. Gilad Shalit was captured.

Source: Xinhua