Grad rocket explodes in residential Beersheba; 1 injured

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Sirens could be heard as a Grad rocket exploded early Wednesday morning in a private yard of a residential area in Beersheba.

No deaths were reported in the blast, however one 56-year-old man was injured moderately in his chest by flying debris when he witnessed the grad's explosion from his 3rd story window. He was treated by paramedics who arrived on the scene. Three others were treated for shock.

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Only hours before, a Grad rocket launched from the northern Gaza Strip exploded south of Ashdod. There were no reports of injuries or damage to property.

An air raid siren was heard throughout Ashdod. Security forces were attempting to locate the rocket.

At least nine Palestinians, including four civilians, were killed on Tuesday in separate IDF attacks against targets in the Gaza Strip, marking the bloodiest day in a week of escalating violence in the South.

On Tuesday evening, the IDF spotted a terror cell in the midst of preparing to launch a long-range rocket into Israel.

The IDF attacked the cell, killing four known terrorists who military sources said were behind the Grad-model Katyusha attack on Beersheba last month.

In the afternoon, IDF troops shot mortars into Gaza and accidentally hit innocent civilians in the northern town of Sajaya. The troops fired the mortars after they came under mortar fire from a terror cell that was spotted in a field near the town.

Palestinians reported that four people – aged 58, 12, 16 and 17 – were killed in the strike.

The IDF said that the Southern Command was investigating the incident, but stressed that Hamas was responsible for choosing to operate from within populated areas.

Later Tuesday night, an official IDF spokesperson announcement said that IDF aircraft fired on a terrorist in the northern Gaza Strip. The statement said the terrorist was planning to send rockets in the direction of Ashdod.

A short time earlier, four Kassam rockets exploded in open fields in the Sha’ar Hanegev region. No injuries or damages were reported.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu issued a statement Tuesday night “expressing regret” at the loss of innocent life in Gaza, saying it was accidental.

According to the statement, Netanyahu stressed that the IDF mortar-firing had been a reaction to Hamas shelling of Israeli civilians.

“It is unfortunate that Hamas continues to rain down dozens of rockets on Israeli civilians intentionally, while using [their own] civilians as human shields. Israel has no intention of bringing about a deterioration of the situation, but at the same time, the IDF will continue to act decisively to protect Israeli citizens,” the statement read.

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Original piece is http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Article.aspx?id=213378

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Grad rocket explodes in residential Beersheba; 1 injured