Israel says two rockets hit residential areas

JERUSALEM -- Two rockets fired by Lebanese militants Thursday penetrated Israel’s much-touted Iron Dome missile-defense system and landed in populated areas of northern Israel, causing damage but no injuries, Israel Defense Forces said.

Initially, military officials said that Iron Dome had destroyed one rocket and that at least three others fell harmlessly outside of Israeli territory.

Later the military acknowledged that two rockets, believed to be Grads or Katyushas, landed in residential areas. Israeli news media identified the areas as Kibbutz Gesher HaZiv and Moshav Shavei Zion, both in western Galilee.

No injuries were reported, but one rocket damaged the kitchen of a housing facility used by Holocaust survivors.

Military officials were investigating why Iron Dome failed to intercept the rockets, but have long warned that the system is not 100% effective.

Early Friday, the Israeli military retaliated for the rocket barrage – the first rockets to hit Israel since 2011 – by bombing a site in Lebanon near the town of Naameh, between with cities of Beirut and Sidon, officials said.

Israel said it believed the rocket attack was launched by Islamic militants but blamed the government of Lebanon for failing to prevent the strike.

Lebanese government officials denied involvement in the attack, which they called a violation of the cease-fire with Israel, according to Israel Radio.

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