The rocket fire from Gaza continued early morning Wednesday with a Grad rocket landing near Be'er Sheva and more than ten rockets landing in the Eshkol Regional Council. Two of the rockets landed inside towns but caused no casualties, though light damage was caused to an industrial structure.

In response to the fire, the Israel Air Force launched an attack in the northern Gaza Strip. Earlier during the night, the IAF attacked an additional six sites. According to the IDF spokesperson, all attacks were successful. The spokesman added that "the terror organization Hamas was responsible for the activity in Gaza" and the rocket fire on the Israeli south during the past two days.

Last night, a Border Patrol officer was moderately wounded on Tuesday when a rocket hit a residential area in the western Negev. Three other officers were lightly injured. All four were taken to Ashkelon's Barzilai medical center.

Approximately 50 rockets were fired since Monday night from the Gaza Strip; Hamas took responsibility for the rocket fire overnight Monday, and announced on Tuesday afternoon that its military wing had fired 10 Grad rockets toward Israel. The rocket fire marks an unusual move for the group, which has been avoiding launching rockets toward Israel for many months now.

Following the attack, communities near the Gaza border were put on heightened alert. The residents were given instructions to remain at a close distance to a bomb shelter.

In the past 24 hours, the Israel Air Force carried out several air strikes in the Gaza Strip. Overnight Sunday, Israel attacked a military compound in southern Gaza.

On Sunday morning, a terrorist cell crossed the border from Egypt into Israel and detonated an explosive device which ended up killing an Israeli citizen who was working on the construction of the Israel-Egypt border fence.

On Monday evening, the IDF carried out strikes in several locations in Gaza, and Palestinian reported that five people were wounded. Shortly afterward, the IDF carried out two more strikes and killed four Palestinians.



Read this article in Hebrew

Open gallery view The rocket that wounded the Border Patrol officer on June 19, 2012. Credit: Eliyahu Hershkovitz