Israeli cities suffer constant assaults, Iron Dome downs dozens of rockets as Operation Pillar of Defense enters second day.
Pohot: The apartment building where the grad missile exploded, credit: Daniel Hagbi, Sderot Media Center
Three people – two men and a woman – were killed and an 8-month-old baby was critically injured Thursday morning after a rocket blasted into a four-story building in Kiryat Malachi in southern Israel. Six people suffered from shock.
The names of the victims were cleared for publication late Thursday afternoon. Aharon Smadga,
49, Itzik Amsalem, 24, and Mirah Sharf, 26 will all be buried Thursday evening. Sharf
was reportedly pregnant. As emergency services scrambled to rescue those still trapped inside the shattered structure,
another five missiles were fired at the town. The Iron Dome missile defense system intercepted them before they landed.
Two salvos of rockets were fired at the coastal town of Ashdod earlier Thursday, with the Iron
Dome anti-missile system intercepting some of the incoming rockets. However, one missile
landed near a house in Ashdod slightly injuring three people. A chicken coop in Eshkol Region was
also hit, causing damage but no injuries.
Photo: Funeral of Iranian grad missile victim- Aaron Smaga, 49, murdered today in Kiryat Melachi, father of 3 children. Aaron’s 4 year daughter was seriously injured and is hospitalized, credit: Daniel Hagbi, Sderot Media Center
During the course of Thursday morning Israeli media reported several salvos of missiles, some of
which penetrated the Iron Dome defenses. One missile was reported to have landed near
Beersheba and another hit Kiryat Gat. Missiles were also fired at the port city of Ashkelon
