Iron Dome in action (file)
Iron Dome in action (file)Israel news photo: Flash 90

The Iron Dome anti-missile system continues to frustrate Hamas, blowing up three more missiles aimed at Ashkelon on Monday. A fourth Grad missile evaded the Iron Dome but exploded in a school yard, causing damage but no injuries.

The Iron Dome has been a key in efforts by Israel’s civilians to survive the massive missile attacks that resumed from Gaza last week.  The only fatalities occurred when the Iron Dome malfunctioned in Kiryat Malachi, allowing the incoming missile to kill three people after it blasted through the roof of a four-story apartment building.

Hamas’ frustration is highlighted by its inability, so far, to inflict large-scale damage, especially on metropolitan, Israel’s industrial and financial heart.

The number of rocket and missile attacks dropped on Monday following a barrage of more than 10 attacks on Sunday, including three on Tel Aviv.

The expensive Iron Done system intercepted half of the missiles.

Israel’s ability to thwart Hamas attacks while destroying a large number of terrorists and weapons sites has thrown back the terrorist organization into a  more defensive stance. Three days ago, its conditions for a ceasefire were that Israel agree to remove the maritime blockade designed to prevent smuggling of terrorists and weapons into Gaza. It also demanded that Israel promise to stop all aerial attacks on terrorists.

As Israel took the upper hand, it laid down its own condition --- a halt to all attacks and the total cessation of weapons smuggling.

Less than 4 percent of rockets and missiles have exploded  on buildings, and there has been a 40 percent decline in attacks since Sunday.

The Iron Done so far has downed more than 313 missiles, while the Israeli Air Force has staged more than 1,350 strikes on the terrorist infrastructure in Gaza.