Gaza rocket lands on greenhouse in southern Israel

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JERUSALEM (JTA) — A rocket launched at southern Israel from Gaza landed on a greenhouse.

The rocket was launched early Monday morning. It did not set off the Code Red rocket warning because it was believed to be heading for an unpopulated area, according to the Israel Defense Forces.

The remains of the rocket were discovered Monday afternoon in the greenhouse, where peppers were growing, in the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council, Ynet reported. No injuries were reported.

“The rocket landed in the center of the greenhouse, and damaged the crops and equipment. It was a great miracle, because employees usually come during these hours to work,” Eran Dotan, the greenhouse owner, told the Hebrew-language news website Ynet.  He said it is the second time that a rocket fired from Gaza has struck his greenhouses.

A rocket fired from Gaza on Friday night landed in Sderot, damaging a bus and a private home. Later that night a rocket was intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system over Ashkelon.

An Iron Dome battery had been moved to the Ashkelon area late last week after a defense situation assessment found that the recent upsurge in violence on the Temple Mount and in other areas of Jerusalem could set off a new round of rocket attacks from Gaza.

Following the Friday night attack, Iron Dome batteries reportedly were deployed around Sderot and Netivot, as well as Ashdod.

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