US 'deeply concerned' over Violence in Southern Israel

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said, "We are deeply concerned by the renewal of violence in southern Israel. We call on both sides to make every effort to restore calm."

"We condemn in the strongest terms the rocket fire from Gaza by terrorists into southern Israel in recent days, which has dramatically and dangerously escalated in the past day," Nuland said. We call on those responsible to take immediate action to stop these cowardly acts."