Buildings in Nahariya and the Krayot area, north of Haifa, suffered direct hits, fires were caused near the southern Haifa highway, and two people were wounded by shrapnel. Warning sirens were sounded in Afula, Migdal HaEmek, Nazareth and elsewhere. A total of 20 rockets landed nearly simultaneously in several areas.

Among the Katyushas that hit Haifa today were advanced 302mm types (more than a foot in diameter), known as Fajr rockets.

Within a short time after the rockets hit Israel, the Israel Air Force reported that it had destroyed the launchers from which some of them were fired. The launchers were destroyed in the area of Tyre, some 50 kilometers north of Haifa.

Another round of rocket-warning sirens was sounded in many northern areas around 2 PM; no word of casualties or damage was initially received.

A total of 142 soldiers and Katyusha-injured civilians are hospitalized in the three main hospitals in the north - Rambam in Haifa, Sieff in Tzfat, and the Nahariya hospital. Among the wounded are 27 in serious condition.

The Israel Air Force attacked 100 targets in Lebanon over the night, including Katyusha rocket launchers. At least eleven terrorists were reported killed in various battles or incidents.

The New York Times reported today that Israel had asked the Bush administration to speed delivery of short-range cluster-bomb rockets for use in its war against the Hizbullah terrorist organization. Some State Department officials are said to be against the sale, but the Times reports that the request is likely to be approved shortly.

The Homefront Command and the Welfare Ministry have opened an emergency center for the distribution of food to displaced northern residents. The phone number is 118.