GAZA, Oct. 24 (Xinhuanet) -- Israeli warplanes fired three missiles at an uninhabited area in the northern Gaza Strip on Monday night, sources in the Palestinian Interior Ministry said.

    Israeli F-16 fighter jets fired three missiles after Palestinian militants launched rockets on neighboring southern Israel from northern Gaza earlier in the day, said the sources.

    Meanwhile, the Israeli artillery shelled northern Gaza in response to a series of rocket attacks by the Islamic Jihad (Holy War) militants. There was no word on casualties.

    Earlier, Jihad militants fired some 25 homemade rockets at the southern Israeli town of Sderot in revenge for the Israeli killing of one of its commanders in the West Bank city of Tulkarm on Sunday night.

    No casualties or damages were reported as the majority of the rockets landed in open areas, according to Israel Radio.

    The fresh violence has dealt another blow to an already shaky ceasefire that Palestinian militant groups agreed to abide by in March. Enditem