Millions of Israelis were sent racing for bomb shelters at midday Thursday as a massive barrage of dozens of rockets was aimed their way from Gaza. Red Alert incoming rocket sirens were triggered in communities along the Gaza border, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Lakhish and Gush Dan.
About 30 missiles were fired in the barrage from Gaza.
The Iron Dome aerial defense system intercepted more than a dozen missiles, making it clear the rockets were all headed to densely populated areas.
Large explosions were heard from Ra’anana, north of Tel Aviv, all the way to Gush Etzion, southeast of Jerusalem.
A school in Tel Aviv reported damage from shrapnel that fell from one of the interceptions, but all students were reported safe, having reached the bomb shelters in time.
Rocket fragments were found in a high school yard in Kfar Saba as well. A large piece of shrapnel also landed on a pedestrian path in Kiryat Ono.
Smaller fragments of the intercepted rockets were found in Givatayim, Givat Shmuel, Bnei Brak, Herzliya, Rishon Lezion on Route 4 near IKEA, Petah Tikva, Ashdod, and Holon.
Miraculously, no physical injuries were reported.
Anti-Tank Missile, Rocket Fire From Lebanon
Barely 15 minutes before the attack on central and southern Israel, Red Alert rocket sirens were triggered in northern Israel as well.
Two anti-tank missiles were fired from Lebanon at the border community of Moshav Avivim, and rockets were aimed at Dovev, Avivim and Mount Dov. Two Israeli civilians sustained minor wounds as a result of the rocket attack aimed at Dovev.
At least three vehicles were incinerated in the attack on Moshav Avivim.
Red Alert sirens were also triggered in the northern Israeli communities of Dafna, HaGoshrim, Ghajar, Kibbutz Dan, Sha’ar Yashuv and Snir, warning of a “hostile aircraft infiltration.”
The IAF spotted a number of suspicious aerial targets that crossed from Lebanon into Israel territory, but the targets were successfully intercepted, the IDF said.
Several rockets launched at Arab al-Aramshe were misfired and didn’t cross into Israeli territory.
Overnight, eight rockets were fired at the northern Israeli city of Kiryat Shmona from Lebanon. One of the rockets hit a group of gas cylinders next to a building, damaging the building and a nearby vehicle. Shrapnel from the rockets also damaged several homes and cars in the city.
Four rockets were also fired at northern Israel from Syria.
Again, miraculously, no one was physically injured.
