GAZA, Nov. 24 (Xinhuanet) -- Saraya al Quds, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad (Holy War), said Wednesday that it fired homemade rockets at southern Gaza in retaliation for Israel's shelling on the area.

    The group said in a leaflet that it fired several Quds 1 rockets at the settlement of Gadid in response to an Israeli shelling on the southern Gaza Strip town of Khan Younis.

    "We will follow you by our rockets and our martyrs everywhere and we will pursue the road of resistance," the leaflet said.

    The rocket attack came after Israeli troops opened intensive machine gun fire at predawn Wednesday on the southern Gaza Strip cities of Khan Younis and Rafah.

    The Israeli army stationed around the settlement of Genital and Gadid in Khan Younis shelled the Al-Sater area, causing severe damage to some houses, Palestinian security sources and witnesses said.

    Meanwhile, Israeli soldiers opened intensive fire at areas around the settlement of Meftaheem in eastern Rafah, sources said.

    Palestinian militants responded to the attack by firing two mortar shells at the settlement, but no injury or damage was reported, the sources said.  Enditem