22:22 IL: Residents of the southern areas remain inside safe rooms or at the very least within a 15 second distance from the rooms as rockets continue to pound the areas of the Lachish Regional Council, Eshkol Regional Council, Yad Mordechai, Lachish district, Netivot, Sderot and surrounding areas.

According to most counts, at least 40 mortar shells, Kassam rockets and Grad katyusha rockets have fallen in Israel since the early afternoon hours.

Southern area community leaders are calling upon Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak to respond appropriately and put Hamas “into the ground” to restore peace and quiet to the area.

Barak earlier this evening met with IDF leaders and senior southern commanders. There are unconfirmed PA reports of significant IDF troop movements along the border.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)