Soldier hurt in mortar strike
IDF soldier sustains light wounds after shell hits army base north of Gaza Strip Thursday
A Magen David Adom ambulance team treated the soldier at the scene before evacuating him to Be’er Sheva’s Soroka hospital.
Later, the IDF fired artillery rounds at fields in the northern Gaza used by Palestinians to fire Qassam rockets into Israel, the army said.
In recent weeks, both terror groups and IDF forces have been engaging in efforts to define new “rules of the games” following the army’s departure from Gaza. Terrorists have been firing Qassam rockets and mortar shells in response to killings of terror suspects in the West Bank, with the IDF responding with artillery fire at rocket launching sites.
Despite an earlier announcement of an intra-Palestinian deal to end Gaza-based attacks, rocket and mortar barrages continue intermittently, while terrorists are taking efforts to boost their rocket range.
Earlier this week, a passerby spotted Qassam rocket remnants south of the city of Ashkelon and called the police, Ynet has learned.
Meanwhile, Hamas has declared that it possesses improved rockets capable of reaching Ashkelon. Few rockets have fallen in the Ashkelon area in the past, narrowly missing strategic infrastructure sites such as big oil tanks and the Rotenberg hydro station.
The Lakhish Distict police have conducted a series of exercises in anticipation of rockets falling on strategic sites. Lakhish Police commander Effie Mor has said that “the police are prepared for Qassam rockets landing Ashkelon and the surrounding area.”
Hanan Greenberg contributed to the report
