Alarms sounded repeatedly across southern Israel Sunday afternoon, including in Beer Sheva, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Netivot and localities in the Eshkol and Sdot Negev regional councils. Heavy rocket fire was recorded from the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip towards Israeli towns in the Gaza frontier, as well as the coastal cities of Ashdod and Ashkelon. A synagogue in Ashkelon suffered a direct hit from one of the rockets, while a private residence was struck by a rocket in Ashdod. There are no reports of injuries in either incident. A rocket hit near a supermarket in Netivot, but no casualties were reported. Israel's security cabinet convened Sunday at army headquarters in Tel Aviv to discuss the ongoing rocket attacks and Israel's counter-terror operation, dubbed Guardian of the Walls. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Benny Gantz are slated to make a public statement at 5:05 PM Sunday, following the latest wave of rocket attacks on Ashdod and Ashkelon. During the night, more than 40 rockets were fired at Gush Dan, the Shfela and the south, and Iron Dome intercepted some of them. Rocket shrapnel fell during the night in Tel Aviv, Bat Yam, Rishon Lezion and Ashdod. The IDF released a video of remote-controlled aircraft operators deciding to give up an attack at the last minute after identifying children in the target area. An IDF spokesman said this morning that IAF fighter jets had attacked military assets at the intelligence headquarters of Hamas' military wing in the northern Gaza Strip. The building houses Hamas intelligence operatives who formulate analyses for the organization. "This attack constitutes damage to key infrastructure in Hamas," the IDF spokesman said. IDF Spokesman Brigadier General Hidai Zilberman said that in addition to the two Sinwar houses in Khan Yunis, a battalion commander's house in the Zeitun neighborhood and the house of another senior official were attacked last night. Zilberman noted that the IDF last night entered "phase 2" in its operation to attack the "Hamas metro" in the central and northern Gaza Strip with about 100 bombs from dozens of fighter jets.
