False alarm activates Iron Dome in western Negev
No siren heard in southern communities adjacent to the Gaza Strip; army investigating incident
The Iron Dome missile defense system in the western Negev was activated in anticipation of incoming rocket fire from the Gaza Strip in what an Israeli military official said was a false alarm on Thursday evening.
No sirens warning of rocket fire were triggered in the communities adjacent to the Strip, the official said.
Security forces were investigating the incident.
Last month, rockets fired from the Palestinian enclave exploded in open areas in southern Israel.
In response, Israel’s air force struck two installations it described as “terror targets” in Gaza.
The Gaza border region has suffered sporadic rocket fire recently, much of it emanating from Salafist groups within the Palestinian enclave that challenge Hamas rule.
Israel regularly retaliates for such attacks with limited strikes on Hamas targets, saying it holds the group responsible for any violence.