A mortar fired from the Gaza Strip exploded and damaged infrastructure in a community in the Shaar Hanegev region of southern Israel on Wednesday, with residents saying warning sirens did not sound. "It is terrifying hearing a mortar explode, [with] the warning system not working," a local resident said. "The fact that no one was wounded was just a matter of luck. Us residents of the Gaza Strip border communities know how hard it is to spot a mortar, but still we cannot be left to depend on miracles." Security forces immediately notified residents in the area to stay in fortified safe zones out of concern of additional bombardment. After an hour, locals were allowed back to their daily routines. The mortar fired on Wednesday is part of a continued sporadic rocket and mortar fire emanating from the northern Gaza Strip and aimed at nearby Israeli communities. Earlier this week, another mortar exploded near the border fence in the Shaar Hanegev region. In that incident, no warning sirens were heard in the nearby communities. Last week, three rockets were fired from Gaza into southern Israel, with one exploding near a border community.
Gaza mortar explodes in southern Israeli community
"The fact that no one was wounded was just a matter of luck. Us residents of the Gaza Strip border communities know how hard it is to spot a mortar, but still we cannot be left to depend on miracles," local resident says.
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