Sderot is one mile from the border with Gaza.
A New Town in the Negev with a short, bleak history. It was established on land formerly occupied by Palestinians, populated with Jewish emigres from Kurdistan,Iran and more recently the former Soviet Union rather than Sabras born in Israel.
It is one of a string of towns established to act as a
cordon-sanitaire between the more heavily populated areas of Israel and their obstreperous violent neighbours.
Ironically, the Romans did much the same on the fringes of the 'civilised' provinces, as did the Hapsburgs in Yurp.
They populated the edges of the Austro-Hungarian empire with Serbs and Bulgars for centuries in order to provide garrisons of Christian fighters who could be called on to die for the Empire. Hence Kosovo, Bosnia etc.
Israeli warplanes targeted an open area of land in the town of Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip.
Israel reacting to nuisance raids with vengeful, disproportionate force ? Say it ain't so Mo !