Israel Matzav

Sderot resident Israeli critically wounded murdered in Kassam attack

Israel Radio reports that a Sderot resident was critically wounded in a Kassam attack this morning. The Jerusalem Post reports that the resident is a 36-year old man. According to Israel Radio, the man's car suffered a direct hit by a Kassam rocket, with shrapnel exploding throughout the car. The man lost control of his car, which crashed into a wall, inflating the air bags. He managed to open the door of his car and crawl out, after which he collapsed.

The "Home Front" instructions provide that drivers are to leave their cars immediately upon hearing the "Code Red" alarm. It is not yet clear why the person in question did not do so.

A total of four rockets have been fired at Sderot thus far today. Earlier this morning a rocket damaged a new community center. Another rocket landed near a swimming pool. The children of Sderot are being bused 'outside Kassam range' for school today. It's not clear to me what 'Kassam range' they have in mind.

Update 11:25 AM

The man described above has now died of his wounds. He was a resident of Rishon LeTziyon, and not Sderot, which makes it as likely as not that he did not know what the procedures were upon hearing the "Code Red" alarm (if he even knew what a "Code Red" alarm sounds like - I don't). Rishon LeTziyon is a suburb of Tel Aviv.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:15 AM