Gaza rockets continue to hit southern Israel
IAF kill two in retaliatory attack after additional day of violence sees 25 rockets hit southern Israel communities.
Over 25 rockets fired from Gaza Strip rained down on southern Israel Sunday, in additional day of violence. Meanwhile, the IAF has fired a retaliatory attack in Gaza, killing two.
Some 17 rockets slammed into Israel since the afternoon hours. Between 10 and 11:30 pm, no less than three rockets hit an open area in the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council, and roughly an hour before hand two additional rockets slammed into open areas in Sderot.
The IAF launched a retaliatory attack in Gaza, targeting terrorists attempting to launch rockets at Israel. Earlier in the day IDF forces returned fire into southern Gaza, firing mortars at "suspicious areas" near the Rafah region in the strip.
The fire was a response to two rockets fired in the evening hours at the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council, which caused a small fire.
These rockets joined no less than 9 other fired at the south earlier in the day without causing damage or injuries. According to local forces, three of the rockets fell adjacent to local communities.
In addition to the aforementioned, two rocket hit the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council with another missile falling in the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council without the Color Red alert siren being sounded beforehand.
Code red sirens blared in Sha'ar HaNegev in the early afternoon resulting in at least four rockets including a Kassam that hit a kibbutz in the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council. No injuries or damage was reported in wake of Sunday's rocket fire.
The IDF requested that residents in the area remain in bomb shelters for the time being, however the coastal city of Ashdod has returned to routine life.
The IDF said that the overnight strikes in the Gaza Strip targeted rocket launchers and a weapons manufacturing site.
At least 29 other rockets and mortars fired from the Gaza Strip at Israel over the weekend.
Two of those rockets were aimed at Beersheba, a southern city deeper into Israel than any other attack in the current round of violence. The IDF said the Iron Dome defense system intercepted the two rockets.
Also Sunday, the army arrested a Palestinian in the West Bank city of Hebron. His family identified him as Hossam Dufesh. The army would not elaborate on the arrest. IDF forces have concentrated their search for the killers of three Israeli teens on the Hebron area.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
