On Tuesday morning, at least 28 mortar shells were fired into southern Israel from Gaza, one of which exploded in a kindergarten schoolyard shortly before the students’ arrival time. Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system intercepted most of the shells, which were fired in three barrages. This represents the largest number of projectiles fired on Israel since the 2014 Gaza war.
The IDF responded by attacking more than 35 Hamas and Islamic Jihad targets, including a terror tunnel that passed under the Kerem Shalom border crossing, weapons storage sites, naval targets and a terrorist headquarters.
The attack has been linked to the death of three Islamic Jihad operatives, who were killed in a retaliatory strike by Israel on Sunday morning. Israel was responding to a bomb that had been placed near the border fence between Israel and Gaza to blow up Israeli patrols.
Prime Minister Netanyahu said that “The IDF will respond with great force to these attacks. Israel will exact a heavy price from anyone who tries to attack it, and we view Hamas as responsible for preventing such attacks against us.”
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