The Israeli military said late Wednesday night that its air forces have launched intensive raids on Hamas' medium-range rocket launch sites.

"Over the past few hours, the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) has targeted dozens of Hamas' medium-range (up to 40 km) under-ground rocket launch and infrastructure sites," the IDF spokesman's office said in a statement.

"This has significantly damaged the rocket launching capabilities as the munitions ware houses owned by Hamas and other 'terror' organizations were hit," the statement said.

It also confirmed the participation of Israel's navy in the latest military operation against Hamas, which currently rules the Gaza Strip, adding that the navy targeted several Hamas sites stationed along the shoreline of the Gaza Strip.

"The aim of striking these sites is to destroy Hamas' rocket launching and weapons building capabilities," according to the statement.

Medium-range rockets owned by Hamas can cover Be'er Sheva, Ashdod and a number of cities in southern Israel, home to around one million people. Hamas' long-range rockets with a range of over 40 km can reach as far as Tel Aviv, according to local media reports.