Terrorists fired a Kassam rocket, which exploded in an open field near a kibbutz (agricultural settlement) within the Shaar HaNegev region shortly after 3:30 p.m. Tuesday. No injuries or damage were reported in the attack.
It was the fourth rocket fired at the western Negev during the day. One of the other rockets came down in another part of the Sha'ar Hanegev region. Two others exploded in unpopulated areas of Sdot Hanegev. No injuries or damage from the rockets were reported. However, a 55-year-old woman who was alarmed by the Color Red early warning alert system that sounded in Sderot fell and broke her hip. In addition, a girl suffered emotional trauma from the alert. The two were evacuated for treatment.
The attack followed Israel's elimination of two terrorists and the wounding of three others along the Gaza security fence near Kissufim earlier Tuesday after they tried to plant an explosive device there. Two heavily armed terrorists were eliminated and three more wounded when a Golani patrol unit spotted them trying to plant the explosives. The patrol summoned a helicopter, which fired on the terrorists. An Israeli soldier suffered light to moderate wounds in the ensuing clash. The soldier, who was hit by shrapnel, was airlifted to Soroka Medical Center in Be'er Sheva.
Responding to a question about this morning's elimination of the two terrorists, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said that it was good the IDF stood prepared and alert to defend the border.
The Hamas terrorist organization that rules Gaza did not claim responsibility for the terrorist cell; however, the group did claim that its operatives had fired 18 mortar shells at the IDF unit during the confrontation.
In the past seven days, there have been at least two days in which there were rocket attacks launched from Gaza on communities in southern Israel. There were no reports of physical injuries or damage in any of the attacks.