Fragile cease-fire holds amid rocket fire

JERUSALEM, March 15 (UPI) -- The Israeli air force struck Gaza just hours after three Grad rockets were fired at southern Israel, the army said.

The army said a terror tunnel and rocket launching site were hit in the strikes late Wednesday. Palestinians said no one was injured but some buildings were damaged, the Ma'an news agency reported.

A Grad rocket was fired early Thursday at southern Israel, exploding near Netivot and another rocket was fired at Beersheba.

Two Grad rockets were fired late Wednesday at Beersheba, threatening to collapse the fragile cease-fire that went into effect before dawn Tuesday. The Iron Dome missile defense battery intercepted one of the rockets the army said. A third rocket exploded near Ofakim.

The Beersheba Department of Education suspended school Thursday despite an order by the Home Front Command that classes should resume in all the southern Israeli areas affected by rocket fire. School also was suspended in Ashdod, Ashkelon, Kiryat Gat, Kiryat Malachi and Gan Yavne, Israel Radio said.

Questioning the sporadic rocket fire that continues to hit southern Israeli areas despite the cease-fire, Israel Television Channel 1 quoted an unnamed military official as saying it would take a possible 72 hours for the cease-fire to take hold.