Ashkelon industrial zone. Great damage prevented
Photo:Amir Cohen
5 Qassams land near Ashkelon
Rockets fired at Israel land near army base, factory in Ashkelon's industrial zone. Employees say Qassam almost hit cache of inflammable materials, could have caused disaster
Five Qssam rockets were fired Tuesday from the northern Gaza Strip at southern Ashkelon. Two of the rockets landed in the area of kibbutz Zikim, one fell in kibbutz Karmiya, one in the area of the Nativ Haasara community and the fifth landed in Ashkelon's industrial zone, just south of the town.
As of now, no injuries have been reported. In response to the attack, the IDF shelled Qassam launching sites in the Strip.
One of the rockets that landed in the area of Zikim fell near an army base. The rocket that landed in the Ashkelon industrial zone could have caused heavy damages, according to employees at the place.
"A great disaster was prevented today," a source at the industrial area stated. "The rocket landed near a stockpile of highly inflammable materials. One flare could have caused grave damages to the entire vicinity," he added.
Employees working near the Qassam's landing site at the time of the attack said they heard a loud explosion. The Red Dawn alert system identified the rockets' launching, and consequently all personnel were ordered to enter reinforced rooms.
Tuesday's shooting marks the second time this week rockets have been fired at Israel. On Sunday, a Qassam was launched at Israel's territory and landed in an open field in the western Negev.
Hanan Greenberg contributed to the report
