Heavy rocket barrages slammed by Gaza terrorists into southern Israel on Monday evening, triggering air raid sirens across wide areas, including Rehovot and Beit Shemesh.
Israeli civilians living closest to Gaza, in the city of Sderot for example, have only 15 seconds to find shelter during an attack.
Seven long-range Palestinians rockets were intercepted over Ashdod, and five over Netivot.
Some 30 rockets were fired from Gaza in the Monday night barrage. A total of 80 rockets slammed into southern Israel throughout the day and evening.
The Iron Dome defense system intercepted seven rockets over Ashdod on Monday night and five over Netivot. A man in Ashdod was injured from shrapnel.
Sixteen projectiles also landed in open areas near the southern city of Beersheba, according to the IDF Spokesperson's Unit.
Air raid sirens were heard on Monday in the outskirts of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, but an Israeli police spokesman said they were false alarms.
The armed wing of Hamas Izz al-Din al-Qassam took responsible for the latest barrage of rocket fire on Israel on Monday night.
Municipalities of Ashkelon, Ashdod, Beersheba, and Gaza border communities have been ordered to open public bomb shelters in anticipation of long-range Hamas rocket attacks.
A senior military source said the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is taking “significant steps” to prepare itself for a stepped up campaign of attacks against Hamas in Gaza.
A meeting was held by Israel’s security cabinet on Monday.
The IDF took steps to enhance preparedness on the Gaza border including the calling of up to 1,500 reserves, and the setting up of infantry assault units on the Gaza border, in case "a decision is made" for an offensive in Gaza, the source said.
The goal of the call-up of those troops - all affiliated with the Iron Dome anti-missile system - is to protect cities in southern Israel, said IDF spokesperson Lt. Col. Peter Lerner on a conference call today. The troops are holding a “defensive stance,” but could “take it one step up if required,” he said, declining to elaborate.
"We are ready for an escalation," a military source said, adding that Hamas is not only failing to prevent other terror groups from firing projectiles at southern Israel, it is taking an active and dominant part in the recent attacks.
Most of the projectiles landing in southern Israel are mortar shells, and the rate of rocket fire is low, the source said, but all of the projectile fire has to stop, he added.
"We're taking steps now... ahead of the possibility that the escalation increases. We're preparing for a gradual increase in the use of force, and increasing our rate of attacks on terror targets in Gaza," he stated.