Iron Dome intercepts first missiles from Gaza

Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system for the first time intercepted rockets fired from Gaza.

Ashkelon’s Iron Dome intercepted two rockets fired Thursday on the southern Israeli city. The unit had been set up three days earlier.

Last week’s first deployment of the $200 million system in Beersheba is being called an “operational trial” by the Israel Defense Forces. The deployment came earlier than expected due to a rise in attacks on southern Israel from Gaza.

One unit also is set up in Haifa; another soon will be put up in central Israel.

A barrage of rockets hit southern Israel on Thursday following a rocket that hit an Israeli school bus near Kibbutz Sa’ad, near the border with Gaza, injuring a teen seriously and the driver, and leading to an Israeli retaliation on Gaza terror targets.