JERUSALEM, Oct 24 (Reuters) - An Israeli aircraft struck a militant target in the northern Gaza Strip on Monday after a rocket was fired towards Israel, the military said.

No casualties were reported following the air strike, Gaza residents said. The rocket fired towards southern Israel set off sirens after tracking systems monitored the launch but it landed inside the Gaza Strip, a military statement said.

Small jihadist cells in the Gaza Strip, which is controlled by Islamist group Hamas, sometimes launch rockets into Israel.

Hamas has observed a de facto ceasefire with Israel since 2014, when 2,100 Palestinians and 73 Israelis were killed in a war.

But Israel says it holds the groups responsible for all rocket launches from the territory.

(Additional reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi in Gaza; Writing by Ori Lewis; Editing by Andrew Heavens) ((ori.lewis@thomsonreuters.com; +972-2-6322-202; Reuters Messaging: ori.lewis.reuters.com@reuters.net))