Rockets fall near Beersheba, Ashkelon

Hamas continues fire at cities; none hurt as rockets hit Beersheba, Ashkelon, Netivot, Ofakim areas.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
grad rocket ashkelon sappers 248 88 (photo credit: Eliram Moshe [file])
grad rocket ashkelon sappers 248 88
(photo credit: Eliram Moshe [file])
As the IDF stepped up its anti-tunnel operation in Rafah late on Wednesday night, Gaza terrorists continued their attacks on southern Israeli civilian areas, firing as least five rockets into Israel. Three of the rockets struck the Beersheba area on Wednesday night, and an additional rocket landed near Ashkelon. Another rocket fell in an open area in the Eshkol region. Israel Radio reported that rockets also landed near the towns of Netivot and Ofakim. None were wounded and no damage was reported in the attacks. Altogether, some 9 rockets were fired into southern Israel since the end of the 3-hour truce designed to allow the passage of humanitarian aid to civilians in the Strip, which ended on 4 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon. In an attack on Wednesday afternoon, a Kassam rocket landed in an open area in the Sha'ar Hanegev region causing no causalities. Earlier, two Grad rockets landed in central Beersheba, near a school. No one was wounded, but two people were treated for shock and buildings were damaged. Moments later, two mortar shells hit the Sha'ar Hanegev region, causing no casualties or damage. Some 16 rockets and mortar shells were fired at Israel earlier Wednesday. One person was lightly wounded and a number of people suffered from shock when a Grad-type rocket hit the Be'er Tuvia region near Ashdod. A building on the premises was damaged. Rockets also struck the Eshkol region, the Sha'ar Hanegev area and Kibbutz Sdot Negev. Following the mortar shell attack on Kibbutz Sdot Negev, a fire broke out. Firefighters rushed to the scene to battle the blaze. In the Sha'ar Hanegev region, a building was damaged. No one was wounded in any of the other attacks, and no additional damage was reported. Magen David Adom paramedics were called out to 19 rocket impact scenes across the South on Wednesday, evacuating two lightly injured people to hospital, and treating 26 people for shock. Over 40 rockets were fired at southern Israel on Tuesday, causing structural damage. Six people were treated for shock, but no other casualties were reported.