Islamic Jihad has declared they are now at war with Israel, and wasted no time, launching waves of missiles at multiple locations at southern Israel, including Sderot, Ashdod and Ashkelon, since the early morning. Iron Dome has intercepted a number of missiles.
Earlier in the morning, the IDF Central Command announced that schools within 40 kilometers of Gaza, including Beer Sheva, Ashkelon and Ashdod, would be closed today.
Just after 7 AM, the IDF Central Command announced that schools and work places, up to and including Tel Aviv were cancelled today. Announcing the closure of work places is very unusual. At 7:59 AM the rocket alert sirens went of in the Tel Aviv Yafo region – as rockets were fired at Tel Aviv.
Later in the morning, IDF Central Command said citizens in Tel Aviv can go to work if they have bomb shelters nearby.
Ben-Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv is running as usual, though flight patterns have been changed.
The IDF initially estimated there will be a few days of rocket attacks back and forth, but we will see if they are over or under-estimating the fallout from the targeted assassination of senior Islamic Jihad terrorist Baha Abu al-Ata.
