An armed wing of Islamic Jihad (Holy War) announced on Sunday that its militants fired several homemade rockets at southern Israel as part of a new operation against the Jewish state.

Saraya al-Quds group said in a leaflet sent to reporters that its militants fired seven homemade rockets at towns and communities in southern Israel as part of its newly-launched operation dubbed "Red Flower."

The group did not disclose whether their attacks caused any casualties or damages.

The attacks are latest breach of a mutual cease-fire in the Gaza Strip reached between President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert late November in 2006.

The Islamic Jihad accused Israel of failing to respect the truce as it continues its attacks on Palestinian militants in the West Bank.

"The operation (Red Flower) is the natural reaction to the daily crimes that the Zionist occupation is committing against our people, mainly killing innocents and detaining men and women," said the leaflet.

Meanwhile, Palestinian security sources said that Israeli troops stationed on the borders of the northern Gaza Strip, where militants often fire homemade rockets at Israel, opened fire at a group of Palestinian farmers in the area.

"Israeli soldiers opened intensive gunfire at the farmers coming from the town of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, causing no casualties," the sources said.

Source: Xinhua