Itongadol.- A rocket exploded in a residential area in Ashdod, lightly injuring an 8-year-old boy, while another rocket fell in an open area, and a third was intercepted by Iron Dome, in the latest barrage of rockets from Gaza. Code Red sirens had sounded in Ashdod, Eshkol, Gav Yavne, and Kiryat Malakhi at around 12:25 pm.
Militants in Gaza launched rockets at Ashkelon and Hof Ashkelon at around 11:20 am. The Iron Dome missile defense system intercepted two rockets over the skies of Ashkelon.
A fresh salvo of rockets was launched from Gaza towards southern Israel after 10:30 am on Monday. Code Red sirens blared in Ashkelon, Kiryat Malakhi, and Be\’er Tuvia.
Hamas launched an unmanned aerial vehicle towards southern Israel on Monday morning from the Gaza Strip, as militants continued to fire rockets on Israeli cities and towns. The latest weapon in the arsenal of the Gaza-based terrorist organization was intercepted by a Patriot missile defense battery deployed in central Israel.
Israeli Navy forces were deployed to search the area. The UAV infiltration attempt caused Code Red sirens to blare in the Ashdod area, though incoming rocket salvos meant the alarm continued ringing for over two hours. Code Red was sounded in Ashkelon, Ashdod, Netivot, Hof Ashkelon, and Sdot Negev Regional Council at 8:30 am.
"Hamas is trying everything it can to produce some kind of achievement and it is crucial that we maintain our high state of readiness," Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon said. "The shooting down of a drone this morning by our air defense system is an example of their efforts to strike at us in any way possible."
One rocket exploded near a home in Hof Ashkelon. No injuries were reported but damage was reported.
On Sunday afternoon, Hamas struck terror further into the heart of Israel than ever before, when it fired a rocket that hit near Haifa – some 150km from the Gaza Strip. Earlier in the day, a 16-year-old boy sustained serious injuries and a 50-year-old man was lightly injured by a rocket blast in Ashkelon.
Hamas also claimed responsibility for the rocket fire on the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, saying it launched a Fajr-5 rocket at Rishon LeZion, three M-75 rockets at Tel Aviv and one R-160 rocket.