Terrorists from Hamas-controlled Gaza fired a Qassam rocket at southern Israel on Sunday night.

Qassam rocket (archive) – Photo: IsraelandStuff/PP

The “Red Alert” siren was heard in the communities surrounding Gaza around 2:15 a.m. The rocket exploded in an open area of the Eshkol Regional Council, causing no physical injuries or damages.

The attack is the latest in a recent escalation in Gaza rocket attacks, which came after several months of quiet after the IDF’s Operation Pillar of Defense in November.

On Saturday night, as Israelis celebrated Lag Ba’Omer around the bonfires, Gaza-based terrorists fired a rocket at southern Israel.

The rocket exploded in the Sdot Negev Regional Council. No physical injuries or damages were reported. Children who were celebrating Lag Ba’Omer were instructed to return to their homes.

Later that night the IAF struck a terror facility and a weapons storage site in southern Gaza.

The IDF stressed that it will not tolerate any attempt to harm Israeli citizens and IDF soldiers and does not intend to allow a return to the reality that existed before Operation Pillar of Defense.

The head of the Eshkol Regional Council, Haim Yellin, told Arutz Sheva last week that it is time that Israel follow up on its words with actions and act to stop the rocket attacks from Gaza.

“Terrorism without a response is not viable, both inwardly and outwardly,” Yellin said. We may say that there’s no reason to strike back over a small shell which explodes in an open area, but this small shell will eventually explode on Tel Aviv,” he warned, adding that the Israeli restraint encourages Hamas terrorists to expand the range of the rockets until they reach Tel Aviv.

Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon warned recently that Israel “will not allow in any way a return to the routine of sporadic rocket attacks on our citizens and forces.

View original Arutz Sheva publication at: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/167553#.UX2yncp0k9E