3 rockets fired from Gaza after Islamic Jihad official dies in Israeli custody

Three rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip toward southern Israel on Tuesday morning, just hours after Palestinian Islamic Jihad official Khader Adnan died after a three-month-long hunger strike in Israeli custody.

The rockets landed in open areas near the Gaza border. The Iron Dome was not activated. Additionally, a mortar fired from the Gaza Strip fell near the border fence on Tuesday morning.

On Monday evening, the IDF had announced that a scheduled exercise would be held in the area near the Gaza border from Tuesday morning until the afternoon. The exercise was canceled on Tuesday morning after the rocket fire.

The rocket fire on Tuesday morning is the first since rockets were fired from Syria toward the Golan Heights in early April. The last rocket fire from the Gaza Strip was on April 7.

FILE PHOTO: Palestinian Islamic Jihad leader Khader Adnan gestures as he speaks during a rally honoring him following his release, near the West Bank city of Jenin July 12, 2015. (credit: REUTERS/ABED OMAR QUSINI/FILE PHOTO)

Islamic Jihad warns Israel will ‘pay a heavy price’

Palestinian Islamic Jihad officials had warned that Israel would “pay a heavy price” should Adnan die in custody. On Tuesday morning, the terrorist movement stated that “the criminal enemy will once again realize that its crimes will not go unanswered.”

Adnan was arrested last February on charges of membership in a terror organization and incitement.

Khaled Abu Toameh contributed to this report.

This is a developing story.