Be'er Sheva residents woke up to another rocket attack shortly before 7 a.m. Thursday following at least nine missiles since Wednesday morning to around midnight. The latest rocket explosion caused no injuries or damage after landing in an unidentified open area.
One of Wednesday's rockets scored a direct hit on an empty high school near a crowded area. The cancelling of classes the same day prevented a disaster had the school been filled with hundreds of students. Compounding the potential tragedy was the failure of the early warning system to operate.
Two short-range Kassam rockets exploded Thursday morning in the Eshkol region, causing no injuries but leaving behind extensive damage in a residential area.
In Gaza, the IDF resumed counterterrorist bombings of Hamas offices early Thursday morning as ground troops prepare to face the Hamas guerrilla army, which numbers at least 15,000 fighters.
Senior Hamas leader and terrorist commanders have gone underground since the Air Force assault began, which officials have said has destroyed approximately 50 percent of the Hamas arsenal.
However, they point out that the remaining 50 percent can have deadly results as Hamas widens its attack range, reaching Gedera, located halfway between Ashkelon and Tel Aviv.