Rockets Rain Down on Israel, Israel’s Military Strikes Gaza Targets

Rockets continued to rain down in Israel on Tuesday, with hundreds fired into Israeli territory since Monday evening, including seven fired at Jerusalem as tens of thousands of Israeli Jews gathered in the city to celebrate. At least 100 rockets reportedly fell short of the mark and landed in Gaza territory. Israel responded overnight Monday and throughout Tuesday, striking military targets across the Gaza Strip. The Israel Defense Forces announced that its operation to strike Gaza in response to rocket fire would be called “Guardians of the Wall.” Hamas and other factions in Gaza are calling their operation “Sword of Jerusalem.” Some 28 Gazan Palestinians, including nine children, have been killed in Israel’s retaliatory airstrikes, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The IDF says 15 of the dead were terrorists involved in attacking Israel. Two women – an 80-year-old Israeli and her caregiver – were killed in Ashkelon on Tuesday afternoon as an unprecedented barrage of rockets hit Israel’s south. The IDF on Tuesday called up eight battalions of 5,000 reservists to secure the Gaza border area.