26 Jan 2023 | 11:24 PM UTC
Israel, PT: Iron Dome air defense system reportedly intercepts two rockets fired from Gaza Strip toward Ashkelon area early Jan. 27
Iron Dome air defense system intercepts two rockets fired from Gaza Strip toward Ashkelon, Israel, early Jan. 27; retaliatory fire likely,
Event
Israel's Iron Dome air defense system reportedly intercepted two rockets fired by Gaza-based militants toward the country's Southern District early Jan. 27. The projectile fire prompted the activation of rocket alerts in Ashkelon and the nearby Zikim settlement area and Kibbutz Carmia. No damage or casualties were immediately reported in connection with the rocket attack.
Israeli forces will likely launch retaliatory strikes on suspected militant targets in the Gaza Strip. Heightened security measures are likely in the Southern District over the coming hours. Gaza-based militants may fire additional rockets at communities in southern Israel over the coming days; precautionary measures, such as evacuations, are possible in affected areas.
Context
The Jan. 27 rocket attack notably comes after Israeli forces killed nine Palestinians, including seven militants, in a raid in Jenin Jan. 26. The operation had the highest death toll of any incident in the West Bank in about 20 years. In response to the raid, the Palestinian Authority (PA) announced that it would cut security ties with Israel that it has maintained to curb Islamist militancy; the PA has only limited control of parts of the West Bank and the territory's militant groups.
Authorities in Israel have bolstered security nationwide in the aftermath of several terror attacks since March 2022, launching frequent raids in the West Bank and imposing movement restrictions on some Palestinian communities to degrade Palestinian militant groups' capabilities to launch attacks.
Advice
Monitor local media and abide by security forces' directives. If incoming mortar rounds or rockets are reported or warning sirens sound in the general vicinity, report to the nearest bomb shelter and await further instructions from authorities. If there is no shelter nearby, stay indoors, away from windows and exterior walls. If possible, move to a ground floor or basement.
