Qassam lands south of Ashkelon
Rocket fire from northern Gaza Strip continues also during holiday in spite of IDF's operation in area. No injuries reported; damage caused to road
There were no injuries, but the road suffered damage.
The rocket was fired in spite of the Israel Defense Force's operation in northern Strip. Eyewitnesses in the area reported on Friday night that several IDF tanks entered the Palestinian area, near the town of Beit Hanoun.
There were no reports of clashes or exchanges of fire in the area. IDF officials reported that the army was carrying out routine activities in the area to thwart attempts to launch Qassam rockets at the western Negev.
On Thursday, Palestinians fired five Qassam rockets at Israel, one of them hitting the Sapir College in Shaar Hanegev and another causing heavy damage to a house in Sderot.
Following the heavy damage, Sderot Municipality officials were called to arrive at the place immediately in order to find an alternative place for the families to reside before the holiday.
Peretz: We are operating all areas
The Sderot Municipality said in a statement: "In the past two weeks Qassams have been fired in fixed hours between 6 and 9 a.m., which are critical hours during which students leave for school and adults leave for work. We have also noticed that the rockets themselves have become more sophisticated, causing more serious damage."
Defense Minister Amir Peretz referred to the Qassam fire during a visit to Sderot on Wednesday.
"We are operating in all areas in order to reach all the launching sites. We are exerting heavy and unstoppable pressure on the organizations. It is true that in the past two weeks there has been another wave of Qassam rockets launched at Israel.
"Maybe this is a reaction to the political developments in the Strip, but we have no reason to make concessions. We have the ability to continue with this pressure and it does have an influence," he said
