Palestinian terrorists with Hamas fired more than 130 rockets at Israel within the span of approximately five minutes Tuesday in an attempt to oversaturate the Iron Dome’s ability to intercept rockets and hit a school inside Israel.
Abu Obeida, the spokesman for Hamas’ military wing, said the Islamist group fired 137 rockets at Ashkelon and Ashdod over a five-minute period and warned that it has “many more.”
“Three injured Israelis were hospitalized after rockets hit a school and residential buildings in Ashkelon and Ashdod,” The Washington Post reported. “Military officials said more than 350 rockets had been launched from Gaza since the start of the flare-up, although more than a third of them failed to cross into Israel and exploded, landing inside the enclave itself.”
Initial reports suggested that the school was empty because schools within 25 miles of Gaza had been ordered to stay home because of the rapid escalation of violence.
One of the 137 rockets that Hamas has fired on the city of Ashkelon has hit a school building. #GuardiansOfTheWalls pic.twitter.com/cBFfohJBzo
— Ofir Gendelman (@ofirgendelman) May 11, 2021
JUST NOW: A school in the Israeli city of Ashkelon was hit by a rocket fired from Gaza.
Thankfully, school had been canceled due to the ongoing rocket fire so the building was empty at the time.
Can you imagine what might have been if there had been children inside? pic.twitter.com/Yk7TVG4DcG
— Avi Mayer (@AviMayer) May 11, 2021
“According to the Israel Defense Forces, over 200 rockets and mortar shells were fired from the Gaza Strip toward Israel from 6 p.m. Monday to 6 a.m. Tuesday, dozens of which were intercepted by Iron Dome missile defense batteries,” The Times Of Israel reported. “The military said the Iron Dome had a successful interception rate of over 90 percent of projectiles heading toward populated areas.”
However, the Iron Dome did not intercept all rockets as several hit civilian targets in Israel, injuring dozens, with some early estimates putting the number as high as 31. IDF Spokesperson Hidai Zilberman said that about a third of the rockets fired from inside Gaza ended up landing inside Gaza.
The IDF released the following statement about their military operations against the terrorists:
Overnight, in response to continuous rocket fire from the Gaza Strip at Israeli territory, the IDF struck over 130 terror targets belonging to terror organizations in the Gaza Strip. In the first and second stages of the strikes, IDF fighter jets, attack helicopters and aircraft struck weapons manufacturing sites belonging to the Hamas terror organization. In the third stage, targets belonging to the Hamas terror organization and the Islamic Jihad were struck, including: weapons manufacturing sites and military facilities belonging to the Hamas terror organization and the Islamic Jihad. A Hamas battalion commander was also targeted.
In addition, as part of the strikes over the past day, the IDF struck a military intelligence building belonging to the Hamas terror organization, along with approximately 15 operatives of the organization. Likewise, IDF tanks and aircraft struck additional terror targets, among them: two offensive terror tunnels adjacent to the security fence. The Hamas terror organization deliberately places military targets in the heart of densely populated areas in the Gaza Strip. The IDF takes precautions to avoid harming civilians as much as possible during its operational activities.
Related:
- WATCH: Palestinian Terrorists Fire Hundreds Of Rockets At Israel, Israel’s Iron Dome Intercepts 90%+
- ISRAEL STRIKES BACK: Military Strikes 130+ Palestinian Terrorist Targets In Response To Rocket Attacks
- IT BEGINS: Israel Calls Up Thousands Of Troops, Positions Heavy Machinery For Ground Offensive
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