Missile Barrage Against Southern Israel Leads To More IDF Strikes

IDF Strikes Terror Targets Across Strip In Response To Missile Barrage Against Southern Israel

Israeli planes pounded Gaza late Tuesday night, in a retaliatory strike after several rockets were shot at southern Israel hours earlier. A Palestinian medical official said a 3-year-old girl in the Gaza Strip was accidentally killed by one of the rockets that apparently misfired when launched toward Israel.

The IDF Spokesperson’s office said in a statement that Israeli aircraft struck “5 concealed rocket launchers in northern Gaza, one terror activity site in central Gaza, and a weapon manufacturing facility in southern Gaza.” It said the strikes came in response to a salvo of rockets from the Gaza Strip earlier in the evening. Unconfirmed reports said two Palestinians were injured in the strikes.

Hamas medical official Ashraf al-Kidra said the girl died when the rocket exploded in the northern Gaza Strip. Three other people were wounded, including two children,Ma’an news reported. He said it was not clear whether the rocket was misfired, or whether Israel’s “Iron Dome” rocket defense system caused it to explode over Palestinian territory.

Earlier a volley of rockets was fired at southern Israel, with one causing damage to a building and two being intercepted by the Iron Dome anti-missile system.

At least five missiles were fired at Israel, according to media and military accounts. No injuries were reported.

Another rocket fired out of Gaza landed inside a residential community in the Sdot Negev region, causing damage to a home.

The Iron Dome anti-missile system shot down two rockets fired at the Hof Ashkelon region in quick succession, the military said. Two more rockets fired at the area landed in open areas.

Color Red sirens rang out across the Hof Ashkelon region before the rockets were fired.

According to the army, more than 200 rockets have been fired on Israel since the beginning of the year.

Attacks from Gaza and Israeli retaliatory air strikes have increased recently amid tensions over the kidnapping of three Israeli teens in the West Bank and the ensuing Israeli military operation to recover them.