Palestinian militants in Gaza renewed rocket fire toward southern Israel on Monday, launching seven rockets at Be'er Sheva and Sderot.

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Open gallery view An Iron Dome rocket being launched to intercept a missile near Be’er Sheva on Sunday August 21, 2011. Credit: AP

Two rockets were fired toward Be'er Sheva, after an alarm sounded throughout the city. One rocket was intercepted by Iron Dome, and one exploded in an open area. Two rockets were fired toward Sderot, and one was intercepted while the other fell in an open area. Three more rockets exploded in an open area in the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council.

There were no casualties or damage done in any of the incidents.

As a result of the renewed rocket fire, the mayors of Be'er Sheva, Ashdod, and Ashkelon decided to cancel all classes for Tuesday. Ben Gurion University in Be'er Sheva, on the other hand, decided to continue classes as scheduled.

Earlier Monday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to the recent upsurge in rocket fire toward southern Israel, denying reports about a cease fire between Israel and Islamic Jihad, the group responsible for the rockets.

Shortly after Netanyahu spoke, a rocket fired from Gaza exploded in an open area in the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council in southern Israel.

On Saturday, some 20 rockets and mortar shells were fired from Gaza into southern Israel, killing one Israeli and wounding four others.

Saturday's rocket barrage followed an IDF strike on the Gaza Strip which resulted in the deaths of five Islamic Jihad militants.

The Israel Defense Forces responded to the rocket fire by carrying out another air strike on Gaza militants, and according to Palestinian sources, two more militants were killed as a result.

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