At least one rocket hit southern Israel on Tuesday night from Gaza, the first instance of mid-size rocket fire since last summer’s Operation Protective Edge.
The rocket landed near Gan Yavne east of Ashdod, causing sirens to sound in the surrounding areas. The rocket used was a Grad rocket, which can travel further than the more commonly used Kassam rockets shot from Gaza.
No injuries or damage were reported from the attack, and there was no immediate claim of responsibility taken by Hamas or other terror groups.
In response to yesterday’s attack, IDF forces conducted targeted strikes on four terrorist sites in southern Gaza overnight. The targets are thought to have been terror infrastructure belonging to Islamic Jihad.
In total, four rockets have been fired from Gaza at Israel since the ceasefire ending the Operation Protective Edge conflict last summer. Although the ceasefire has largely remained intact, Israel has underlined that it will not tolerate “a dribble of rockets” by any party in Gaza.
The last barrage of rockets took place on 23rd April, as Israel’s Independence Day celebrations came to a close, and IDF sources state Hamas has been conducting test launches in recent months in order to increase its rocket-launching capabilities.
