BICOM

A Qassam rocket was fired at southern Israel from the Gaza Strip yesterday, the first of its kind in southern Israel in recent weeks. At 9.30 pm, sirens sounded and a short time later an explosion was heard. The rocket landed in an open field in the Eshkol regional council region. No injuries or damage to property was reported. Eshkol regional council head, Haim Yalin noted that this was the first rocket to be fired from Gaza in a month and a half. The last rocket to hit Israel was on 18 April. In early April, a large number of rocket and mortar attacks by terrorist organisations were launched from Gaza, including the firing of an antitank missile at a school bus. The IDF responded with air and artillery strikes. An undeclared ceasefire was instigated in mid-April, and residents of Israel’s south will be hoping that yesterday’s Qassam launch does not presage a major new round of attacks.