Rockets falling in southern Israeli town of Sderot

(29 Dec 2008) 1. Wide of residents near site of rocket attack gathered behind police tape 2. Officers digging for debris from rocket 3. Wide of exterior of building damaged by blast 4. Mid of window shutters hanging from building 5. Residents watching emergency services workers at the blast site STORYLINE: Fresh missiles hit the Israeli town of Sderot on Monday as the country's south continued to be bombarded by rocket attacks from Gaza. Witnesses said several people suffered minor injuries as three rockets crashed down on Sderot, one within metres of an apartment building containing hundreds of residents. It followed an earlier attack in the southern city of Ashkelon which killed one Israeli and injured seven others, according to the town's mayor. Authorities said that the Ashkelon missile had hit a construction site in the city of 120-thousand, about 17 kilometres (10 miles) north of Gaza. The attacks came as Israel widened its deadliest offensive against Palestinians in decades. Israeli security officials have warned that the militants' range now includes Beersheba, a major city 30 miles (50 kilometres) from Gaza. Israel's air force obliterated symbols of Hamas power on the third day of its overwhelming Gaza assault on Monday, striking a house next to the Hamas premier's home, devastating a security compound and flattening a five-story building at a university closely linked to the Islamic group. The three-day death toll rose to 315 by Monday morning, including seven children under the age of 15 who were killed in two separate strikes overnight, medics said. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...