Homes in Sderot struck by rockets fired from Gaza

Marcy Oster

JERUSALEM (JTA) — At least two homes in Sderot were hit by rockets fired from the Gaza Strip, as at least a dozen rockets landed in southern Israel over 12 hours.

A rocket slammed into a home in Sderot early Thursday morning, causing damage. The family was in their bomb shelter. The rockets fired overnight also caused power outages throughout the city. Another rocket fired Thursday morning landed in a home in which a children’s summer camp was taking place.

The Iron Dome missile defense system intercepted two rockets over the southern Israeli cities of Netivot and Ashkelon. A greenhouse and several cars also were damaged by rockets.

In response to the  continuing rocket fire, the Israel Air Force Thursday morning bombed what the IDF spokesman called “a precision strike against 15 Hamas targets in Gaza, including concealed rocket launchers, weapon storage facilities and terror activity sites.”

The rocket attacks come amid the backdrop of the kidnap and murder of a Palestinian teen on Wednesday, hours after the burial of three Israeli teens who were kidnapped and murdered allegedly by members of Hamas.