IDF destroys terrorist launch sites in Rafah that were used to fire at Beersheba

The rocket fire, the first the city of Beersheba has seen in nearly five months, resulted in shrapnel hitting a playground, and the IDF responded by targeting terrorist launch sites in Rafah.

IDF targets site of rocket launchers used to target Beersheba in Rafah, southern Gaza.

IDF soldiers of the 401st Brigade destroyed two launch sites in Rafah where terrorists had used to fire at Beersheba earlier on Friday afternoon, the IDF announced later that evening. 

After destroying these sites, secondary explosions were detected, testifying to the presence of additional weapons stored at the site. 

The IDF’s response came as a result of rocket fire targeting Beersheba, the first time Beersheba had heard rocket alerts in nearly five months. A total of 14 rockets were fired in the direction of Beersheba, all of which detected as being launched from Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, Maariv reported. 

Rocket shrapnel hits playground, injures one

As a result, shrapnel from the rockets fell in a playground in the city, with the children managing to evacuate, leaving no children injured. However, a 37-year-old woman was lightly injured after being hit by shrapnel, according to the Maariv report. 

Medics from Magen David Adom (MDA) released a statement, saying “we arrived at the scene with many personnel, we saw a lot of commotion and damage to the playground, and nearby, was a 37-year-old woman who was fully conscious and suffered from a shrapnel wound to her leg.”

Israeli soldiers look at a fire caused by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip at a forest near the border with the Gaza Strip, southern Israel, October 24, 2023 (credit: YONATHAN SINDEL/FLASH90)
Israeli soldiers look at a fire caused by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip at a forest near the border with the Gaza Strip, southern Israel, October 24, 2023 (credit: YONATHAN SINDEL/FLASH90)

“We gave her medical treatment and evacuated her to the hospital, where she is in a mild condition," the statement concluded.

Peled Arbeli and Shaked Sadeh contributed to this report.