Israeli military jets have hit two targets in Gaza after rockets were fired at an area close to where the funeral service for Ariel Sharon was taking place.

Israel reportedly had warned Hamas not to launch rockets during Monday afternoon’s funeral at the former prime minister's family farm in the Negev - a few miles from Israel’s border with Gaza.

“It was made clear to them that tomorrow would be a very bad day for anyone there to test Israel’s patience,” an unnamed Israeli security source is reported to have warned.

Mourners at the funeral said they heard the rockets explode as they landed in an area near the farm.

A spokesman for the Israel Defence Forces said that the air force had targeted two sites in the central and southern Gaza Strip. Direct hits were confirmed.

Earlier, 20 foreign delegates and hundreds of Israeli dignitaries had attended a state memorial service for Mr Sharon in Jerusalem.

They included US Vice President Joe Biden and Middle East international envoy Tony Blair.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Mr Sharon was "one of the greatest military commanders the Jewish people have had".

Mr Biden described him as an "indomitable bulldozer... The security of his people was his unwavering mission".