Rocket attack (archive)
Rocket attack (archive)Nati Shohat/Flash 90

Two mortar shells fired from Gaza exploded early Thursday morning in an open area in the Eshkol Regional Council in southern Israel. There were no physical injuries or damages.

Earlier, around 5:30 a.m., sirens sounded in the area.

Earlier in the night, at approximately 12:30 a.m., rocket sirens were heard in the Shaar Hanegev and Sdot Negev Regional Councils. Residents reported that the Iron Dome system operated in the area.

According to the IDF, a single launch from Gaza was intercepted by the Iron Dome. A total of nine launches toward Israel were identified during the night. Most of them were headed towards open areas.

On Wednesday evening, an IDF officer was moderately injured in a shooting attack adjacent to the southern Gaza border.

The officer was evacuated to the Soroka Hospital in Be’er Sheva. Prof. Gilbert Sabag, director of the surgical department at the hospital, said that "the victim was evacuated to the trauma room with a penetrating bullet wound in the abdomen and chest. He and was transferred to an operating room and is listed in moderate condition.”

The Palestinian Arab sniper had fired at IDF troops under the cover of 20 children that were sent towards the border fence as decoy.

The IDF Spokesperson's Unit reported that the IDF responded by firing artillery from tanks seven positions of the Hamas terrorist organization along the Gaza Strip.

At least three terrorists were killed and several wounded in the IDF's offensive.