Gaza, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Israeli artillery shelled northern Gaza Strip Saturday morning following Palestinian militants homemade rocket attacks on southern Israel, witnesses and security sources said.

    Israeli artillery targeted open areas of northern Gaza as tens of explosions were heard across the area, witnesses said.

    Israel has been shelling northern Gaza in a bid to stop homemade rockets attacks launched by militants in the area.

    Al-Qudes Brigades, armed wing of the Islamic Jihad (Holy War) Friday claimed in a written statement responsibility for firing four makeshift rockets into Israel's southern city of Ashkelon.

    No injuries in neither Jihad's attack nor Israeli shelling were reported.

    Unlike other factions, the Islamic Jihad stayed away in January's Palestinian legislative elections. It also shunned a one-year mutual ceasefire with Israel, which was observed largely by other Palestinian factions in 2005.

    The Islamic Jihad was involved in a latest series of suicide bombing attacks against Israel, including the Tel Aviv bombing on April 17, which killed nine civilians and wounded dozens of others. Enditem