Southern Israel has been pounded by at least 12 Gaza terror rockets since Thursday; at least 9 of the rockets hitting over Friday and Saturday.
On Thursday, 3 rockets hit the south,
1 hitting Sha'ar HaNegev region, another
damaging 2 homes in Sderot and the
3rd hitting Eshkol region. In response to the attack in Sderot, the
IAF struck a number of smuggling tunnels in the southern Gaza.
But on Friday morning, terrorists launched 2 more rockets;
1 of them fell short hitting near a Gaza security barrier while the
2nd hit Sdot Negev Region.
On Saturday, at least 7 more rockets, both Kassam and Grad models, hit southern Israel. At least 5 hit during the day, including
including a Grad which hit and damaged a school in Ashkelon early on Saturday morning. It was
1 of 2 Grads to hit Ashkelon Saturday. Fortunately, being Saturday, the school was empty and thus, there were no casualties. In the evening, 2 more rockets hit;
1 in Eshkol region and another
in Sha'ar Hanegev region.
The Jerusalem Post reports:
Following the rocket fire, the Ashkelon Municipality reactivated its emergency command and control center, situated in a bomb shelter adjacent to city hall...
"In light of the situation, we can say with certainty that the school struck by a rocket will not be open tomorrow. We will have to find an alternative solution for students. The remainder of the schools will open on Sunday," Deputy Mayor Shlomo Cohen said.
Cohen added that the municipality "shared the concerns of parents in light of the deterioration of the situation, but we must remember that carrying on in a routine manner means bolstering the education system and the whole of the city of Ashkelon."
As yet, there has apparently been no Israeli military response to the 9 rockets which hit the south on Friday and Saturday.
