Jerusalem, Oct 6 (IANS): Militants in the Gaza Strip launched a rocket attack on southern Israel on Sunday, according to a statement from the Israeli military.

The rocket fire activated sirens in nearby communities, including Ashkelon and the Lachish region.

"Three projectiles were identified crossing from the northern Gaza Strip into Israeli territory," the military reported.

One projectile was intercepted, while the others landed in open areas. No casualties have been reported from the incident, Xinhua news agency reported.

Later on Sunday, Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement, claimed that it had fired rockets at Israel's Ashkelon and a number of settlements near Gaza's border.

This attack occurred just one day before the first anniversary of Israel's ongoing military operations in Gaza, which were initiated following a deadly assault by Hamas on southern Israeli communities on October 7, 2023, resulting in approximately 1,200 fatalities.

In the subsequent Israeli response, Gazan health authorities have reported nearly 42,000 deaths.