More than 20 rockets and missiles were fired at southern Israel following the death of an Islamic Jihad commander in an Israeli air strike in Gaza, the army said. On Thursday afternoon two Qassam rockets exploded in the Eshkol region, no injuries were reported. On Wednesday night rockets fell in Beersheba, Ashkelon and Ofakim, injuring a 9-month old baby and setting a vehicle on fire, police official said. Several of the rockets were intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system, the army said. In response to the renewed rocket attacks, the Israeli Air Force conducted a number of air strikes in northern and southern Gaza, hitting a smuggling tunnel and a weapons storage facility, the army said. Two Palestinians were killed and over 25 injured in the air strikes overnight Wednesday and three Palestinians were unaccounted for.
