Iron Dome intercepts rocket fired by Gaza militants at Israeli city

Attack comes following hours of relative calm along Israel's border with the coastal enclave; Palestinian groups fired 3 Grad rockets toward Be'er Sheva in the morning hours.

By Gili Cohen Tags: IDFIAFGaza Strip

 

The Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepted a Grad-type Katyusha rocket fired by Gaza militants toward the southern city of Ashdod on Thursday, following hours of relative calm along Israel's border with the coastal enclave.

The attack came after Palestinian militants fired three Grad rockets toward the southern Israeli city of Be'er Sheva on Thursday morning, following strikes by Israel Air Force craft against multiple targets in the Strip overnight.

	An Israeli missile being launched from the Iron Dome missile system in the city of Ashdod, March 11, 2012.
	Photo by: AFP

Earlier Thursday, a Gaza rocket landed near Netivot in southern Israel and shortly afterward, three Grad rockets were fired toward Be'er Sheva. Two of them were intercepted by the Iron Dome system.

Islamic Jihad has denied any involvement in Thursday's rocket fire.

Despite an Egyptian-brokered cease-fire between the sides which went into effect early Tuesday morning, Palestinian militant groups continued to fire rockets sporadically into Israel on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Five cities in southern Israel - Be'er Sheva, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Kiryat Malakhi and Gan Yavneh - decided to cancel school on Thursday.