Nearly a million Israelis were sent scrambling mid-morning Friday as Gaza terrorists fired three M75 missiles at central Israel.

All three missiles were intercepted over the metropolitan Tel Aviv area by the Iron Dome anti-missile defense system — at a cost of $50,000 per interceptor missile.

Tel Aviv residents began their morning on Thursday with the wail of the Color Red incoming rocket alert siren followed by the boom of the Iron Dome anti-missile system smashing a missilesheading straight for the city.

Large pieces of shrapnel landed in the streets of a neighborhood in southern Tel Aviv. Miraculously, no physical injuries were reported. Falling shrapnel can be extremely dangerous; residents were cautioned to remain in their shelters and safe spaces until given the “all clear” by security officials or Home Front Command — or until 10 minutes of silence has passed.

Barely two hours later, at 11:25 a.m. they were doing it again, with sirens sending hundreds of thousands of residents in Tel Aviv and Yafo (Jaffa) scrambling for cover.

Two missiles were fired at the White City but both landed in open areas in the greater metropolitan area. No physical injuries were reported. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and other top officials were in the city consulting on the security situation at the time and they, too, headed straight for the shelter the second the Color Red siren was activated.

Gaza terrorists also fired M75 missile attacks at the eastern Negev cities of Dimona, Yerucham and Mitzpe Ramon, as Hamas searches desperately for a “quality” strike on a significant target. Dimona presents such a possibility; the city is home to Israel’s nuclear plant. At least one missile landed in an open area on the outskirts of the city; no physical injuries were reported. Hamas fired a barrage of three missiles at Dimona on Wednesday night as well. One of the missiles was shot down by the Iron Dome system, and two others landed in open areas, causing no physical injuries or damage.

In general, it’s been a busy morning as the Iron Dome system and its operators pick and choose which rockets and missiles must be eliminated from the skies.

A short-range rocket was shot down as it headed for the western Negev city of Netivot at around 10 am. Two other rockets landed in open areas, but not entirely without cost: the explosion ignited a fire, which required firefighters to risk their lives in coming out to extinguish the blaze as other rockets were exploding. Gaza terrorists fired a barrage of rockets and missiles towards the Negev that reached as far as 84 kilometers (52 miles) from Israel’s border with the region. Meanwhile, the IDF targeted a Hamas terrorist in northern Gaza has he was firing rockets at Israel. A direct hit was confirmed. Several hours earlier, the IDF also eliminated three Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists in northern Gaza who were manufacturing medium-range missiles. Out of the PIJ’s approximate arsenal of some 5,500 rockets and missiles, more than 100 have an 80+ kilometer(50 mile) range.

Metropolitan Tel Aviv absorbed at least five missiles in the first half of Wednesday, with the Color Red incoming rocket alert siren wailing through the streets.

Loud blasts that followed made it clear the Iron Dome anti-missile system had intercepted all five threats to the general population.

But as a Home Front Command official noted with a measure of exasperation in an interview on Israeli radio Wednesday morning, people in the “White City” simple weren’t relating to the danger and remained on the streets.

Defense officials were out during one attack inspecting facilities, and were amazed and concerned at what they saw on Tuesday.

Amid ongoing rocket fire onto central Israel, people in Tel Aviv watched the World Cup Semi Final games screened at the Sarona center, shortly after Code Red sirens were sounded in the region.

“Some just don’t seem to care, some said they didn’t have shelters in their homes, some said the public shelters were locked and others said there were no shelters at all in their neighborhoods,” the official said.

“This is an impossible situation and one that must stop immediately. It is extremely dangerous.”

Missiles that were intercepted at midday exploded above Tel Aviv itself, and above Ben Gurion International Airport, which is on alert.

Late Tuesday night, Hamas terrorists fired the new Syrian-made M302 missile towards Haifa – but it only reached as far as Hadera, 60 miles (100 kilometers) from Gaza. The missile, which weighs 120 kilograms, has an approximate range of 100 kilometers (62 – 65 miles.)

The Iron Dome anti-missile system has thus far intercepted 45 missiles at a cost of $50,000 per interceptor.

The warning sirens are screaming and the rockets are threatening a wide swath of the tiny land of Israel.

So far on Tuesday, July 8, sirens alerted residents of Beer Sheva, Gush Etzion, Tel Aviv, Herzliya and Jerusalem to race to the closest bomb shelters.

The municipality of Jerusalem issued a notice that all bomb shelters in the city must be opened, and directed residents to a site on the location of the closest shelters. Private homes with safe rooms large enough to take in others were asked to do that to ensure everyone has a safe place to wait for the emergency to end.

A rocket struck a home in Jerusalem, but no one was injured.

In Tel Aviv, the municipal government issued a state of emergency and ordered all bomb shelters be opened.

The Jewish Press will continue updating this story throughout these ongoing attacks.

The Israel Airport Authority has warned that missile fire may disrupt commercial air traffic. No flights have been cancelled thus far, but takeoffs have been diverted to the eastern section of the airport, and landings are being scheduled for the northern strip.

Ben Gurion International Airport is located 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Gaza.

Domestic departures have already been halted at the small Sde Dov airport in Tel Aviv due to the situation in the south. However, the airport has remained open for arrivals for the time being.

The local Eilat airport has been opened to accept diverted and other flights. Flight schedules may change in accordance with the changing situation in the south.

The Islamic Jihad terrorist organization claimed responsibility for the missile barrage fired at Tel Aviv on Tuesday evening.

One missile was intercepted directly over Tel Aviv by the Iron Dome anti-missile defense system, indicating that it was headed for a populated area.

The terror group is generously funded and equipped by Iran, as is Hamas and the Lebanon-based Hezbollah terrorist organization.

Israel’s ‘city that never sleeps,’ Tel Aviv, has been order to prepare its public bomb shelters.

The IDF Home Front Defense has warned it is likely the Hamas terrorist organization will launch missile attacks from Gaza at the city in the near future.

Moreover, residents of Rishon Lezion were warned not to go swimming at the beach alongside their city for the same reason.

In the past few days, Gaza terrorists have fired medium-range missiles at the coastal cities of Ashkelon, Ashdod and even as far north as Yavneh.

In fact, longer range missiles were fired at the central region as well, reaching as far north as the area around the western Jerusalem suburb of Beit Shemesh.

During the last mini-war, Gaza terrorists fired missiles that did, in fact, explode in Tel Aviv and Rishon Lezion.