In midst of the worst outbreak of violence on the Israel-Gaza border since 2012, tensions escalated between Israel and Hamas on Tuesday as Israel bombed 50 Gazan sites.

The Israeli military targeted at least 50 Gazan locations, including "four houses belonging to militants, three militant compounds, 18 concealed rocket launchers and other militant infrastructure sites," reports Al Jareeza. "Most were targeted in airstrikes, and three were attacked from the sea."

According to Palestinian officials, most of the bombings took place about an hour or so before dawn. Israel also launched raids on Gaza City and throughout the Gaza Strip, while jets were used to attack empty Palestinian training camps.

As a result, Palestinian witnesses and health officials reported at least 14 deaths in the Israeli attacks, reports the New York Times. Plus, at least nine Palestinian civilians were treated at a Gaza hospital for light to moderate injuries from the airstrikes, including several who suffered from shock, said Gaza health official Ashraf Al-Kedra. Some of the injured Palestinians were treated and released, he said.

The Israeli army released a statement about the offensive via Twitter, stating that "Operation Protective Edge" is intended to "stop the terror Israel's citizens face on a daily basis."

The latest strikes come a week after a 16-year-old Palestinian boy from East Jerusalem named Mohammed Abu Khdeir was kidnapped and killed on July 2. It is suspected that the murder was done in retaliation of the killing of three Israeli teenagers in the occupied West Bank back in June. Conflict in the region intensified after the killings. 

Israeli army spokesman Lt. Col. Peter Lerner said "We don't expect it to be a short mission on our behalf." 

He added that Israel intends to gradually increase its attacks on Hamas in Gaza, and is recruiting more reservists for a potential ground attack.