UPDATE 3:35PM IL: YWN-ISRAEL signs off for shabbos. 

UPDATE 3:26PM IL: Israel Soccer Association cancels all matches scheduled to take place on shabbos in southern Israel.

UPDATE 3:25PM IL: At least 150 rockets were fired at Israel today.

UPDATE 3:21PM IL: Rockets fired at Ashdod were intercepted by the Iron Dome.

UPDATE 3:19PM IL: Channel 2 News reports 120 rockets fired into S. Israel today, erev shabbos.

UPDATE 3:17PM IL: Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu met today with President Shimon Peres to brief him on the ongoing IDF counterterrorism operation.

UPDATE 3:15PM IL: Sirens sounding at this time in Beersheva.

UPDATE 3:14PM IL: Three IDF soldiers were injured moderately in a rocket attack in the Eshkol Regional Council earlier. They were transported to Soroka Medical Center in Beersheva and in surgery at this time.

UPDATE 3:11PM IL: Rockets fired at Ashdod intercepted by Iron Dome Baruch Hashem. No physical injuries. Patients being treated for hysteria/panic.

UPDATE 3:09PM IL: The Be’er Tuvia home damaged earlier was hit by a shrapnel fragment of the Iron Dome intercept rocket which smashed into the living room of the home.

UPDATE 2:36PM IL: The IDF Homefront Command has prohibited all public gatherings in the 7-40km range from the Gaza border due to increased rocket fire.

UPDATE 2:34PM IL: IAF firing at rocket launching sites in the Beit Hanoun area of N. Gaza.

UPDATE 2:26PM IL: Sirens sounding in Ashkelon and Kibbutz Zikim at this time.

UPDATE 2:22PM IL: Iron Dome downs 5 rockets heading to Ashdod/ The IAF is targeting terrorists in Gaza/ 12 IDF sorties in the past 10 minutes from northern to southern Gaza.

UPDATE 2:19PM IL: Another siren in Be’er Tuvia, Ashdod and Gan Yavne.

UPDATE 2:16PM IL: Sirens sounding in Ashdod and Ashkelon Coast Regional Council.

UPDATE 2:15PM IL: A rocket has damaged the Be’er Tuvia Regional Council building. No immediate reports of injuries.

UPDATE 2:05PM IL: Rockets fired towards Gan Yavne. No injuries reported.

UPDATE 2:03PM IL: Israel Police orders Tel Aviv public shelters opened.

UPDATE 2:03PM IL: Sirens sounding in Ashdod and Ashkelon/ No injuries in the Beersheva rocket attack moments ago.

UPDATE 1:54PM IL: Sirens sounding in Beersheva and Ashkelon at this time.

UPDATE 1:40PM IL: IAF targeting terrorists in Gaza as the sirens sound in Tel Aviv. According to first reports, one fatality.

UPDATE 1:37PM IL: Two rockets fired at Tel Aviv from Gaza. According to Israel Police, the rockets landed in open areas. No injures/ As we post, another siren sounding in Tel Aviv.

UPDATE 1:33PM IL: Sirens sounding in Tel Aviv. More to follow

UPDATE 12:30PM IL: Sirens sounding in Netiv Ha’asara, Nachal Ohz, Ashkelon Coast Regional Council communities.

UPDATE 12:09PM IL: Homes damaged in the last wave of rocket fire into the Eshkol and Shar HaNegev Regional Councils. No injuries being reported.

UPDATE 11:59AM IL: Three explosions heard in Sderot at this time as rockets impact. No immediate reports of injuries.

UPDATE 11:28AM IL: Sirens sounding in the Eshkol Regional Council/ 2 rockets fell near kibbutzim. No injuries.

UPDATE 11:18AM IL: Over 50 rockets fired into Israel this morning.

UPDATE 11:15AM IL: Rockets land in an open area in Ofakim. No injuries.

UPDATE 11:13AM IL: Route 4 closed from Yad Mordechai to Netiv Ha’asara/ Route 10 closed/ Route 25 closed from Saad Jct to Nachal Ohz.

UPDATE 10:31AM IL: Rockets fired towards Ashdod intercepted by the Iron Dome.

UPDATE 10:22AM IL: A rocket slams down in an Ashkelon parking lot. No injuries being reported.

The air force targets terrorists in Gaza. First reports state five dead.

Hamas PM Haniyeh is holding a press conference following a meeting with the Egyptian prime minister who is visiting. Haniyeh calls on the international community to stop the Israeli bloodshed.

Egyptian Prime Minister Hisham Kandil reaffirmed his nation’s support for its ally, Hamas, condemning the Israeli warfare.

UPDATE 10:04AM IL: Despite announced ceasefire, sirens sounding in Yad Mordechai, Kiryat Malachi, Be’er Tuvia and Eshkol Council area. No injuries reported.

UPDATE 9:43AM IL: Anyone seeking information regarding Homefront Command regulations or other details pertaining to Operation Pillar of Defense and how to act, one may call the IDF Homefront Command information hotline at 1207. Dozens of people are manning the phones.

In addition, one may visit the multilingual Homefront Command website which includes information videos and a great deal of information.

UPDATE 9:33AM IL: Another round of rockets to Eshkol Region.

UPDATE 9:27AM IL: Sirens sounding in Beit Jubrin/Kiryat Gat.

UPDATE 9:18AM IL: Despite calls for a three hour ceasefire, sirens are sounding at this time in Beersheva, Ashdod, and Gan Yavne. There are reports of explosions in Ashdod and Beersheva.

UPDATE 9:13AM IL: Sirens sounding in Gan Yavne/ At least 10 rockets hit Eshkol Regional Council area. No injuries reported/ Sirens sounding in Kiryat Malachi and Ashdod.

UPDATE 9:01AM IL: Egyptian Prime Minister Hisham Kandil and his delegation entering Gaza for their visit.

UPDATE 8:34AM IL: Jerusalem light rail service halted after a suspicious item was found on Herzl Street feared to be an explosive device.

UPDATE 8:25AM IL: The Iron Dome has intercepted at least five rockets fired at Ashkelon. Six rockets landed in the Eshkol Regional Council area. Another six landed in the Ashkelon beach area. Baruch Hashem, no injuries.

UPDATE 8:14AM IL: Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has agreed to a three-hour cease fire to permit a visit to Egypt by high-ranking Egyptian officials.

UPDATE 7:51AM IL: The IDF is calling up 16,000 soldiers to active service as part of Operation Pillar of Defense.

UPDATE 7:50AM IL: The Iron Dome intercepted at least seven rockets that were heading to Ofakim and Beersheva.

UPDATE 7:42AM IL: Large wave of rockets heading to Beersheva and Ofakim.

UPDATE 7:36AM IL: IDF officials report that since the beginning of Operation Pillar of Defense, 420 rockets were fired at Israeli communities, of which 130 were intercepted by the Iron Dome.

UPDATE 7:13AM IL: Hysteria victims reported in Ashdod. Damage to vehicles in the parking lot. / In Shar HaNegev a rocket made a direct hit to a building resulting in a blaze. No injuries reported.

UPDATE 6:54AM IL: Rocket slams into a building parking lot in a residential area. There are no immediate reports of injuries. There are reports of power outages.

UPDATE 6:47AM IL: Sirens sounding in Ofakim.

UPDATE 6:45AM IL: Sirens sounding in the Shar HaNegev Regional Council. The air force continues striking terrorist targets in Gaza.

UPDATE 12:56AM IL: Sirens sounding in Ashkelon.

UPDATE 12:03AM IL: Thousands of police will be on hand in and around Jerusalem’s Old City on erev shabbos to maintain order. Special attention will also be paid to area including Akko and Jaffa as Israel Police works to prevent a terror attack and/or Arab unrests.

UPDATE 12:01AM IL: It appears the IAF struck a generator that supplies electricity for the Beit Haniyeh area of Gaza.

UPDATE 12:00AM IL: IAF strikes a building used by terrorist in Dir el-Balah in Central Gaza.

UPDATE 12:00AM IL: Gaza sources report the IAF is striking hard in many areas, including a targeted strike near the southern entrance of Beit Hanoun, in northern Gaza.

At least two people were eliminated and others injured. Rumors point to the elimination of yet another senior Hamas official.

UPDATE 12:00AM IL: Sources in Gaza now reporting 3 dead and close to 20 injured in IAF strike in the Beit Hanoun area.

UPDATE 12:00AM IL: All schools in the 40km (24 miles) range from the Gaza border will remain closed on erev shabbos. All residents in the 7km (4.2 mile) range from Gaza are instructed t remain at home.

UPDATE 12:00AM IL: IAF destroys rocket-firing location in the el-Bourij area of northern Gaza.

UPDATE 12:00AM IL: IAF knocks out electric transformer resulting in power outages in Gaza.

UPDATE 12:00AM IL: Gaza sources report another IAF strike in Beit Lahiya. No additional information is available at this time.

CLICK HERE FOR THE YWN LIVE BLOG FROM DAY 2 OF OPERATION PILLAR OF DEFENSE

CLICK HERE FOR THE YWN LIVE BLOG FROM DAY 1 OF OPERATION PILLAR OF DEFENSE

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)