Israel on Friday resumed combat against Hamas in Gaza, saying the militant group violated the operational pause when it fired toward Israeli territory. 

The Israel Defense Forces announced the resumption in a statement just a few minutes after the deadline for the extension of the seven-day ceasefire expired, 55 days after the war first erupted.

Hamas was found to have launched attacks against Israel around the deadline of the truce.

From early hours Friday, Israel sounded sirens warning of rocket attacks in its southern regions and ordered schools located near the border with Gaza to close.

According to the IDF, it had “successfully intercepted a launch from Gaza.”

Foreign media and Palestinian media reported that Israeli strikes had occurred in northern Gaza and aerial attacks had hit the southern Gaza Strip with artillery fire east of Khan Yunis and in Rafah.