LAST UPDATED: 11/11/2012 11:02
Photo: REUTERS/Amir Cohen
Palestinian terrorists in the Gaza Strip fired at least 47 rockets and mortars into Israel since midnight Saturday night, injuring three civilians. The barrage continued a serious escalation that began Saturday evening and progressed through the night, with two IAF air strikes targeting a weapons manufacturing site, two weapons storage facilities and two rocket launching sites in the northern part of the territory.
Municipalities near the southern border canceled school on Sunday amid the ongoing rocket fire.
The fresh launches bring the total number of rocket and mortar attacks to over 75. Hamas announced that it was also taking part in the rocket attacks, Israel Radio reported.
The three wounded Israelis suffered light to moderate injuries from shrapnel, and were evacuated to the Soroka and Barzilai hospitals. Damage was also done to a factory, a vehicle and an electrical post.
Top Israeli officials commented on the escalation Sunday morning, promising increased IDF activity to protect Israeli citizens. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu warned that Israel will escalate its responses to the rocket attacks, while Defense Minister Ehud Barak told Army Radio that Israel must ensure freedom of operations for the IDF.
Palestinian news agency Ma'an reported two members of the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization were killed and seven Palestinians were injured in the bombings overnight. A total of 6 Palestinians have been killed since the fighting began over the weekend.
Since Saturday, Palestinian rockets triggered air raid sirens in Beersheba Ashkelon, Ashdod, Gan Yavne and smaller communities. At least nine long-range rockets were included in the barrage, landing at Beersheba Ashkelon, Ashdod, Sderot, the Eshkol Regional Council area and the Be'er Tuviya area.
Islamic Jihad features new launcher, fires three rockets in quick succession
The Iron Dome anti-rocket system intercepted at least two rocket headed for Ashdod and Beersheba.
Palestinians fire anti-tank missile at IDF patrol
The latest round of violence began when terrorists fired an anti-tank missile at an IDF Jeep carrying out a routine patrol on the Israeli side of the border on Saturday, striking the vehicle directly and injuring four soldiers.
One soldier was in serious condition with a head injury, one was moderately wounded, and two were lightly injured. They were airlifted to the Soroka University Medical Center in Beersheba.
Immediately afterwards, tanks opened fire on the area from which the missile was fired. Tanks also fired on pre-selected targets in the Sa'ajiya area of Gaza near Nahal Oz. Palestinian sources said four people were killed in the return fire, and 25 others were injured.
Home Front Command Minister Avi Dichter said that Israel must restore its military deterrence against Gaza, saying that "this is an unbearable and unreasonable situation. Israel cannot accept a daily terrorist drizzle from Gaza."
Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum blamed Israel for the incident, saying, "The occupation's targeting of civilians was a grave escalation that must not pass in silence," and adding that "resistance must be reinforced in order to block the aggression."
In an separate incident at another location, four people were wounded in an Israeli air strike in the town of Khan Younis.
The incident came days after terrorists in Gaza blew up a massive tunnel they had dug from southern Gaza toward Israel. No one was injured in that incident. but a Jeep that was in the area was blown sideways by the force of the explosion.
Ben Hartman, Yaakov Lappin and Reuters contributed to this report
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