Four barrages of mortars, consisting of at least 30 projectiles in total, were fired from the Gaza Strip at towns in southern Israel on Tuesday morning, making it the largest attack on Israeli border communities since the conclusion of Operation Protective Edge in 2014.
The IDF’s Iron Dome anti-missile system successfully intercepted most of the projectiles fired at Israel, said the Israeli army, although mortars were said to have fallen in at least two Israeli communities bordering Gaza and another three fell in open territory. No injuries were reported.
One mortar landed in the grounds of a kindergarten in the Eshkol Regional Council, said a municipality spokesperson. No children were at the kindergarten at the time. Images showed damage caused to the outside walls of the kindergarten by shrapnel from the mortar.
Rocket sirens were first activated in more than 20 Israeli communities on the border with the Gaza Strip shortly after 7 a.m. local time. Local municipalities soon instructed residents to return to their daily routines and school transport, which was temporarily suspended, was permitted to continue. Further sirens were heard at 8 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. local time.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the IDF will respond with force following Tuesday morning’s events.
“Israel views the attacks on its cities by Hamas and Islamic Jihad severely, the IDF will react with great force, and Israel will exact a heavy price from anyone who tries to harm it,” Netanyahu said at the Galilee Conference.
I told this to an Israeli soldier a couple of years ago. He liked it.
Should read “Muslim Terrorists in Gaza Fire Rockets at Israel.”
חזק ואמץ, משיח עכשיו!