4 Kassams, 11 mortar shells fired at South from Gaza

Iron Dome intercepts 3 rockets headed for Ashkelon; 22 mortars fired in total since dawn; Palestinians say IDF Gaza strikes leave 5 dead, including 2 Hamas men and mother along with her child.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Iron Dome 311 (photo credit: REUTERS)
Iron Dome 311
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Rocket and mortar fire from the Gaza Strip continued on Friday evening as four Kassam rockets were launched towards Ashkelon.
Police said that the Iron Dome counter-rocket defense system intercepted three of the rockets and the fourth rocket exploded in the industrial area of southern Ashkelon.
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Less than hour later, three mortar shells landed in the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council. Earlier in the afternoon, five mortar shells landed landed south of Ashkelon and three in the Eshkol Regional Council. All landed in open areas, causing no casualties or damage.
Palestinian sources reported that IDF strikes in Gaza earlier on Friday afternoon left one woman, her daughter, and a third man dead in a village near Khan Younis. Two Hamas members were also reportedly killed during the strikes.
Since Thursday night, ten Palestinians were killed in various IDF attacks on terror cells throughout Gaza. The IDF said that in response to rocket fire from deep inside a residential area in southern Gaza, IAF air craft struck two terror cells. According to to the Palestinian media source, an Israeli aircraft struck a group of civilians.
Since Friday morning, nineteen mortar shells in total exploded across southern Israel. One mortar exploded in a chicken coop in the Eshkol Regional Council.
The explosions occurred in the afternoon hours, and schools held students from returning to their homes until the attacks passed.  The explosions caused no casualties.Earlier on Friday, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said that Thursday's school bus attack "crossed the line," and adding that "the IDF acted immediately last night and would continue to act with determination."
Speaking from a meeting with the Czech president, Netanyahu commented that "whoever tries to hurt and murder children: the blood is on his hands."