A barrage of dozens of mortar shells and Kassam rockets launched into Israel on Thursday may have been cover for an attempted large-scale attack on IDF troops and Israeli civilians near the Gaza border, sources in the IDF told Channel 10. As salvos of rockets exploded across the western Negev, IDF soldiers identified a bulldozer approaching the security fence in northern Gaza. Soldiers fired at the vehicle and its occupants escaped.
An unnamed IDF official told Channel 10 that the vehicle was believed to have been intended for use in an infiltration attack, which would have caused multiple casualties.
A woman was moderately wounded as at least 30 mortar shells and 18 Kassam rockets pounded southern Israel, most of them hitting the Ashkelon Beach region.
A state of emergency was declared in the Ashkelon Beach region and residents were instructed to enter fortified rooms.
A Palestinian was lightly wounded when one of the mortar shells fired at Israel landed near the Erez border crossing.
In addition, several people were treated for shock when a Grad-type Katyusha rocket was fired at Ashkelon.
Hamas claimed responsibility for the barrage, saying that it was a response to an alleged IAF air strike on a house in the Gaza Strip which killed seven people, including one senior Hamas commander, and injured 30 more.
Hours earlier, a powerful blast had ripped through the two-story house, which, according to Hamas officials, belonged to Ahmed Hamudi, a top commander in the organization. It was not clear whether Hamudi was inside the house at the time of the blast.
Palestinian witnesses initially said that an IAF aircraft fired a missile at the house, but later Thursday, Hamas spokesman Abu Obeida said that the group had opened an investigation into the explosion.
It was the first indication that the blast was caused by an accident, a claim earlier made by Israel
"We deny any connection to this incident," IDF spokeswoman Maj. Avital Leibovich had said, adding that the army had not been operating in the area at the time.
On Thursday night, a Palestinian was killed and three were wounded in an IAF strike east of Khan Yunis, according to Palestinian reports.
Earlier, three Palestinian gunmen were killed by IDF soldiers operating in Gaza. The army said that two gunmen were identified alongside the security fence near Beit Lahiya and were fired upon by Givati Brigade troops, who confirmed a hit.
A third operative was killed in an IAF air strike in the nearby Jabalya refugee camp.
Palestinian sources claimed that Fatah operatives had attempted to infiltrate an IDF outpost in the northern Gaza Strip and were killed in the ensuing gun battle.
On Wednesday, four Palestinians - three of them terrorists - were killed when continued mortar attacks on the western Negev drew deadly responses from the army.