Iron Dome intercepts rocket over central Israel, sirens sound in Tel Aviv

Air raid siren sounds in central Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv, Rishon Lezion, Petah Tikva, Lod and Givatayim for first time amid recent Gaza escalations; no injuries or damage reported.

The Iron Dome rocket defense system intercepted a projectile over the metropolitan Tel Aviv area, in the city of Rishon Lezion, on Tuesday evening, as air raid sirens sounded in central Israeli cities for the first time amid recent escalations. No injuries or damage were reported.


Israeli television showed a double-burst of smoke in skies above Tel Aviv after air raid sirens sounded, sending residents running for shelter.
 Air raid sirens sounded in all of Gush Dan, including Tel Aviv, Petah Tikva, Lod and Givatayim.
It was the first Gaza rocket that reached Tel Aviv since Operation Pillar of Defense in 2012.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Tel Aviv Municipality was instructed to inspect and open public bomb shelters in the city in order to "provide an optimal response for residents if necessary" in the event that escalations in the South reach the Center.
The Home Front Command also instructed Tel Aviv residents to prepare for utilizing protected rooms and shelters in their private homes.
Under the same instruction, the division responsible for civil security ordered for bomb shelters in Tel Aviv schools to be opened.
The IDF launched Operation Protective Edge in the early hours of Tuesday morning in order to quell the ongoing barrage of rocket fire from the Gaza Strip. Later in the day, the IDF begun actively calling up 40,000 reserves approved to it by the cabinet.
Since midnight Tuesday, more than 30 rockets fired from the Gaza Strip have exploded in Israel.
Terrorists in Gaza have launched more than 250 projectiles at Israel in recent weeks.