Palestinian terrorists in the Gaza Strip on Saturday night fired three rockets at southern Israel, two of which were intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system, the military said.
Fragments from one of the Gaza rockets struck the yard of a home in the town of Sderot, causing damage.
There were no physical injuries caused by the shrapnel in Sderot. One woman received medical treatment after she suffered an acute anxiety attack because of the impact, medics said.
In addition, two people sustained minor injuries while running to bomb shelters, according to the Magen David Adom ambulance service. Elsewhere, three other people were treated for acute anxiety attacks brought on by the rockets. One of them, a 76-year-old woman, required hospitalization, medics said.
Sderot resident Itzik Twitto, whose yard was damaged by the rocket, said he was sitting outside when he heard the siren and quickly ran to the bomb shelter with the rest of his family.
“There was a strong boom,” he told Channel 12 news.
While nobody was hurt he added that the family was shaken up enough to cancel a planned vacation near the Dead Sea.
“This is what we’ve been living with for 20 years,” he said.
Shrapnel also landed inside a community in the Sha’ar Hanegev region of southern Israel, northeast of Gaza, causing no injuries, local officials said.
It was the second night in a row that sirens sounded in Sderot.
On Friday night, terrorists in the Strip fired at least one rocket into Israel, which was intercepted by the Iron Dome defense system, the IDF said.
In response, the Israeli military struck two underground sites belonging to Hamas.
The rocket fire came after several thousand Palestinians joined protests on the Gaza Strip border earlier Friday, with several hundred rioting and throwing stones and explosive devices at Israeli troops.
Despite the tense security situation in Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu left for Ukraine Sunday on a two-day visit that political analysts are saying is primarily geared toward currying favor with Russian-speaking immigrants ahead of next month’s Knesset election.
Netanyahu’s working visit to Ukraine is the first by an Israeli prime minister since he traveled to the country during his first term in March 1999.
In Kiev, he will meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky and Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman, both of whom are Jewish. Ukraine is currently the only country besides Israel where both the president and the prime minister are Jewish.
The trip comes a day after three armed Palestinians were killed by Israeli troops who thwarted an infiltration attempt in the northern Gaza Strip. Earlier Saturday and on Friday night, three rockets were fired at Israel from the coastal enclave.
Ahead of his trip, Netanyahu, who is also defense minister, said Israel would not hesitate to launch a large-scale military campaign against Hamas in Gaza, even during the peak of election season, if deemed necessary.
“We will embark on a wide campaign, if necessary,” he told reporters shortly before departing.
“I heard comments that I am refraining from a large [military] campaign because of the elections. This is not correct,” said Netanyahu. “Everyone who knows me knows that my considerations are matter-of fact and real, that I act with full cooperation with the security forces, with assertiveness and responsibility.
“If it is required, we will embark on a large campaign, with considerations to the elections — with elections or without elections,” he said.
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