2 rockets fired at northern town

Residents of Kiryat Shmona report damage to local houses, helicopters
dispatched to locate origin of fire; explosions heard in western Galilee
community of Shlomi
Sharon Rofe-Ofir YNET
www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3191101,00.html

Two Katyusha rockets were fired at the northern town of Kiryat Shmona
Tuesday evening.

One of the rockets hit the staircase of a three-storey building, lightly
injuring four people. A dog sustained serious wounds in the attack. The
second rocket fell nearby, also damaging a house.

Oshri Swissa, a resident of the hit building told Ynet, "I sat downstairs
with friends, we heard a loud explosion and the electricity was cut off. We've
been living here for years and therefore quickly realized that it was a
shell."

"It entered the block and damaged the staircase, cutting off electricity
along the way," he added.

Police sappers and security forces arrived at the scene minutes after the
attack and helicopters were dispatched to locate where the Katyushas had
been fired from.

Meanwhile, explosions were reported in the western Galilee community of
Shlomi. Security forces are currently examining the cause of the blasts.

Residents in both communities were told to enter local bomb shelters for
fear of further strikes.

In conversation with an al-Jazeera correspondent in Beirut, Hizbullah
sources later denied the organization was behind the rocket attack on Kiryat
Shmona. Fatah members in Lebanon also said they were not responsible for the
firing.

IDF received no prior warnings

Renewed tension coincides with an influx of tourists to the north, where the
first snows have attracted thousands to the Hermon ski resort over the
Hanukkah vacation.

Security officials recently warned of Hizbullah intentions to heat up the
northern border and draw Israel into Lebanon to ease pressure on Syria from
the international community for its alleged involvement in the assassination
of former Lebanese premier Rafik Hariri.

The IDF raised the level of alert along the northern border early last week
after warnings that Hizbullah has plans to kidnap soldiers and citizens by
infiltrating Israel through the village of Gajar.

A attempt to kidnap IDF soldiers in Gajar was averted last month when IDF
soldiers set up an ambush for an elite Hizbullah unit.

Military officials described the Shiite group's motivation to kidnap
soldiers as "very high", saying the IDF has undertaken a series of measures
to preempt kidnapping attempts.

Northern Command officials admitted Tuesday that no warnings were received
ahead of the attack

Ahiya Raved, Hanan Greenberg and Shmulik Haddad contributed to the report

First Published: 12.28.05, 00:02
Latest Update: 12.28.05, 00:23