Two people have been injured, one in critical condition as a result of the early morning rocket fire that began during the predawn hours. Sirens have been sounding throughout the southern areas. Iron Dome rocket defense batteries can be heard firing at incoming rockets. At least one home sustained a direct hit.

Sirens can be heard in the S’dot Negev Regional Council, Eshkol Regional Council, Ashkelon Coast Regional Council, Netiv Ha’asara, Zikim, Ashkelon and other areas. Chronological timeline follows.

At least one rocket heading for Ashkelon was downed by the Iron Dome system. Schools have been canceled in the Eshkol, Ashkelon Coast and S’dot Negev regional councils.

08:06: A total of two homes and a coop were sustained direct hits this morning. MDA reports a total of five victims, one critical, one serious and others light. Residents are instructed to remain inside shelters even if sirens are not sounding.

The air force and artillery corps are targeting terrorists in Gaza.

Sirens sounded in southern Jerusalem, Har Nof and other areas this morning along with some Jerusalem corridor communities, including Abu Gosh. IDF Homefront Command officials confirm this was the result of a system malfunction.

TIMELINE

The air force and artillery corps are targeting terrorists in Gaza.

06:00: Rocket lands in an open area in the Eshkol Regional Council. No injuries being reported. The IAF retaliated with artillery fire into the Khan Yunis area of Gaza.

06:20: The rockets land in open areas in the Shar HaNegev Regional Council area. No injuries being reported.

Residents are once again ordered to remain near safe rooms and terrorists appear determined to continue rocket attacks this morning. A total of 10 rockets have been fired this morning, Wednesday, 8 Cheshvan 5773.

07:01: Red Alert in Ashkelon Coast Regional Council, Sderot and in Ashkelon.

07:07: A rocket slammed into a home in the Ashkelon Coast Regional Council. B’chasdei Hashem no injuries are being reported. Bomb demolition experts are trying to track impact locations of the rockets fired this morning. Over 25 rockets and mortars fired since predawn hours. Residents ordered to remain in safe rooms and shelters.

07:12: Two injuries reported in the last wave of rockets. The air force is retaliating along with artillery fire into the Khan Yunis area of Gaza.

07:15: Two injured people in the Ashkelon Regional Coast area appear to be foreign workers with one reported in serious condition. School transportation for children in Gaza border communities delayed for at least one hour due to ongoing attacks.

07:19: The injured appear to be foreign workers who were in a kibbutz in the Eshkol Regional Council area. They appear to be in serious condition. Another siren in sounding in that same area at this time.

07:25: Over 35 rockets have been fired into Israel this morning. The Iron Dome continues firing at incoming rockets. Sirens are also sounding in Zikim and Netiv Ha’asara. Sirens sounding throughout southern areas. The IDF has ordered all residents to remain in shelters, even in areas in which sirens are not sounding. School has been cancelled in the Eshkol Regional Council district.

07:30: One of the injured foreign laborers is reported in critical condition. A border policeman has been injured, reported in light condition. A number of people are being treated for hysteria. IDF artillery fire into Gaza continues.

07:39: Magen David Adom confirms a third foreign worker was injured in the Eshkol Regional Council. The condition of the third victim is reported as light. The seriously injured victims were transported by helicopter to the Soroka Medical Center trauma center. As reported earlier, the condition of one of them has deteriorated and is now listed in critical/grave condition.

07:48: Sirens sounding in areas of Yerushalayim, including the center of town and Har Nof. It appears to be a system malfunction according to preliminary reports.

07:56: The sirens heard in Jerusalem earlier were attributed to a system malfunction. The sirens were heard primarily in the southern areas of the capital, Har Nof and in the corridor communities including Abu Gosh.

08:07: MDA transported a woman reported in light condition to Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon after a rocket attack in the Ashkelon Coast Regional council area.

08:22: It appears the Iron Dome intercept system downed seven rockets heading for Ashkelon during the attacks earlier. Over 50 rockets and mortar shells were fired into southern areas. There are reports of area power outages due to the rocket fire.

The air force is firing at terror targets in Gaza sources in the Hamas-controlled area are reporting at this time. There are four injuries being reported.

08:31: The Kerem Shalom Crossing from Gaza has been closed as a result of a terror alert at that area.

10:00: Two mortar shells were fired into the W. Negev in the past hour. The air force retaliated. No injuries reported from mortar attack. Sapir College announces it too will remain closed.

10:35: Red Alert in Eshkol Regional Council. No immediate reports of injuries.

12:40: Four rockets in the past 20 minutes. No injuries/ foreign worker coming out of surgery after serious injuries from rocket earlier/

13:07: Sirens sounding in the Ashkelon Coast Council again. No immediate reports of injuries.

13:10: Sirens in Shar HaNegev Council, Netiv Ha’asara, Ashkelon Coast Council. No injuries reported at this time.

13:21: A total of eight rockets were fired into the Ashkelon Coast region over past half hour. One Grad katyusha rocket was intercepted by the Iron Dome as it headed to Ashkelon.

13:23: A total of 5 buildings have been damaged in today’s rocket attacks. The Thai worker wounded very seriously in one attack has come out of surgery where doctors treated his serious head injuries. He was wounded along with a colleague when a rocket slammed into a coop as they were working.

13:31: A rocket slammed into hothouse in a moshav in the Ashkelon Coast Council. One katyusha rocket was intercepted by the Iron Dome as it headed to Ashkelon. Attacks continue. Defense Minister Ehud Barak tells the media the IDF is ready to respond whenever the order is given.

14:07: Two additional waves of rocket fire at Eshkol Regional Council communities. No immediate report of injuries.

14:09: Three rockets landed in open areas in last wave of attacks. Rockets detected in the direction of Kerem Shalom.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)