"Overnight, a rocket was launched from the Gaza Strip at Israeli territory," an English-language army statement said.

"In response... fighter jets struck a Hamas weapons manufacturing site in the northern Gaza Strip."

There were no immediate reports of injuries in the overnight rocket attack or the air strike that followed.

Hamas has controlled Gaza since 2007, and Israel holds the Islamist movement responsible for all rocket fire coming from the territory, although it has targeted other militant groups there.

On Tuesday an Israeli aircraft hit what the military said was an armed Palestinian seen approaching the Israeli border fence in Gaza.

His death has so far not been officially confirmed as no body has been retrieved from the no-go area adjacent to the frontier.

Last month, Israeli forces assassinated a senior Islamic Jihad leader in the Gaza Strip, sparking a two-day flare-up which killed 36 Palestinians.

Islamic Jihad fired around 450 rockets at Israel, many of which were intercepted by the Iron Dome defence system.

Israel has fought three wars with Hamas and allied armed groups in Gaza since 2008.