The Israeli military and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas have been locked in escalating violence, since Hamas launched an attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip.

Israeli forces on Tuesday unleashed another round of heavy airstrikes on Gaza, which is controlled by Hamas, in retaliation for the group's massive attacks.

In response, Hamas issued a warning on Tuesday afternoon to residents of the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon and the country's biggest commercial hub of Tel Aviv, saying it would carry out a large-scale attack.

As announced, Hamas began firing barrages of rockets after 5 p.m., local time.

Local media outlets said rockets hit residential areas in Ashkelon, with injuries reported.

Hamas's armed wing said in a statement that if Israel continues to displace civilians in Gaza, Hamas will continue attacking Ashkelon until Israeli civilians are displaced too, and then carry out attacks to displace the populace of another city.

Israeli forces fired back immediately, launching additional air strikes on Gaza.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military said 15 rockets had been fired from neighboring Lebanon.

The fighting has left at least 900 people dead on the Israeli side, and 830 people have died in Gaza. The combined death toll has exceeded 1,700.