Police reassure residents; no rocket hits reported in north

Bomb shelters in northern Israel have remained close despite Tuesday's border skirmish, with police aiming to reassure residents and reporting that no rockets landed in Israeli communities as of the afternoon.

Blasts were reported across the western Galilee border area Tuesday, but police officials said no Katyusha rockets hit Israeli territory despite initial fears.

Despite recent tensions and ongoing fire exchanges on the northern border, bomb shelters at border communities remain closed while residents have yet to receive instructions enter secured areas.

The Northern District Police spokesman issued the following press statement: "Blasts were heard in the Nehariya region, but there were no hits or any other unusual incidents... I wish to calm local residents."

The spokesman's statement also noted that the Northern District chief is performing an evaluation of the situation.

The sounds of blasts were also heard clearly in the northern Israeli community of Metula. Orna, who lives near the border fence, told Ynet that she and her kids took cover in a bomb shelter even though they were not instructed to do so.

"I'm not taking any risks," she said.

However, she noted that most bomb shelters in town were locked. "Several friends called me and said they wanted to go down to the shelter but that they were closed."

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