(March 25, 2024 / JNS) Hamas fired eight rockets at Ashdod from the Gaza Strip on Monday, the Israel Defense Forces confirmed, marking the first such attack on the southern coastal city since Jan. 14.

Two of the projectiles were intercepted and the rest fell in open areas, according to the IDF. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

The terrorist group claimed responsibility for the attack.

Minutes after the barrage, sirens sounded in northern communities close to the Lebanon border warning of a potential hostile aircraft intrusion. The Home Front Command subsequently announced that the incident had ended, without providing further details.

Ashdod, just 17 miles from the Gaza border, has been a frequent target of rockets launched by terrorist groups from the enclave in recent years. However, the number of attacks has declined significantly five months into the Israeli ground invasion.

According to data compiled by Channel 12, more than 11,500 rockets have been launched at Israel since the start of the war on Oct. 7.