It was a Shabbos afternoon of rocket alert sirens in many southern municipalities are three Katyusha rockets slammed down into southern Israel, leaving one person with physical injuries and others in need of psychological first aid for hysteria.

A man in his 50s was injured from shrapnel in Gan Yavne. Baruch Hashem, his injuries are described as light. In Ashdod, a rocked slammed into a school building. Mortar shells were fired into the Eshkol Regional Council area, striking open areas. Earlier in the day, the Israel Air Force struck a terror cell that fired a Katyusha rocket before Shabbos. At least five terrorists were eliminated.

Baruch Hashem the rocket that hit the school landed at a time when the building was closed, not chas v’sholom during a school day. A total of three rockets landed on Shabbos afternoon, but rockets continue landing as this report is being written, on motzei Shabbos.

The last attack struck a 9-story building and a number of cars are on fire. MDA sent a pager message to all area personnel to respond, realizing the potential for numerous injured.

Terrorists are using the elimination of at least five terrorists in an IAF targeted strike as the excuse for the renewed warfare against southern civilian population centers. Needless to say residents in rocket range of Gaza are instructed to remain in safe rooms and shelters as the situation develops.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)