Tel Aviv - Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni was scheduled to visit Cairo Thursday for talks on the escalating violence between Israel and Palestinian militant groups in the Gaza Strip.

Livni's trip comes as the Israeli inner, or security cabinet, gave the military the green light Wednesday to launch a series of operations against Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip and which Israel sees as bearing ultimate responsibility for the rocket fire directed against the Jewish state.

Militants pummelled southern Israel with around 80 rockets and mortars Wednesday, causing no fatalities but widespread damage and panic, and leading to increasing calls for the Israeli military to act against the militant groups.

Israel launched an airstrike against a militant group Wednesday night, killing one militant who was firing mortars at the Kerem Shalom border crossing with Israel.

The escalation comes after a six-month truce between Israel and the militant groups expired Friday. (dpa)