Gaza rocket strikes near Israel minister’s house

JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Three rockets fired from the Gaza
Strip hit Israel on Wednesday, one striking a house near that
of Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz, Israeli radio and a
witness said.

The Israeli army confirmed two rockets had struck a home in
Peretz’s hometown of Sderot and another landed in a nearby
township. There were no reported casualties.

An Israeli man from Sderot whose house was hit by a rocket
told Army Radio he lived about 100 meters (yards) from Peretz.

The barrage came a day after Israeli soldiers shot dead
three militants preparing to fire rockets in the Israeli army’s
first ground raid into Gaza since a pullout last year.

A Palestinian policeman was also killed by the troops in
the Israeli raid marking a new military response to frequent
cross-border rocket barrages.

Israel’s Haaretz daily newspaper reported the military
planned to increase its ground action in Gaza to prevent
rockets being fired at Israel.