JERUSALEM (JTA) — A rocket fired from Gaza that hit a house in suburban Tel Aviv caused severe damage.
Tuesday’s strike in Yehud was the first direct hit on a home in Israel’s center since the start of Operation Protective Edge 15 days ago. At least one Israeli was hurt and an Israeli woman went into labor, The Jerusalem Post reported.
Beaches in Tel Aviv reportedly were closed on Tuesday due to falling shrapnel, according to reports.
Shrapnel from a rocket last week punched through the roof of a home in southern Tel Aviv.
The Israel Defense Forces reported at midday Tuesday that since midnight, Israeli forces had targeted over 187 of what it identified as “terror targets” in Gaza, including more than 100 in the Gaza City neighborhood of Shujaiya, the scene of heavy fighting over the weekend. The targets were identified as concealed rocket launchers, a weapon manufacturing facility, military facilities, surface-to-surface missile launchers and surface-to-surface rocket launchers.
The IDF said it has uncovered 66 access shafts of 23 tunnels, and six of them were detonated in a controlled manner. It also said the Kerem Shalom crossing between Israel and Gaza was open between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to transfer humanitarian supplies and goods into Gaza.
According to the IDF, some 2,060 rockets have been fired at Israel since the beginning of Operation Protective Edge. Nearly 1,600 hit Israel, and 396 were intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system.
At least 26 Israelis soldiers have been killed since the start of the ground operation. Two Israeli civilians have been killed since the launch of Protective Edge. Gaza health officials reportedly have put the Palestinian death toll at 604 and wounded at 3,700.
