JERUSALEM, Israel -- Rocket, missile and mortar attacks continued Wednesday morning as a Grad-type Katyusha rocket hit near Beersheva and at least a dozen more in the Eshkol Regional Council. Since Monday, Palestinian Arabs in the Gaza Strip fired more than 50 rockets at Israel.

A five-rocket salvo that hit one community started a fire Wednesday morning, causing heavy damage and sending two residents into shock.

On Tuesday, four border policemen sustained shrapnel wounds after a rocket scored a direct hit on a building along the city's coastal area. They were transported to Ashkelon's Barzilai Medical Center for treatment.

Residents of southern cities were ordered to stay within easy access of bomb shelters, and the IDF deployed Iron Dome batteries in key locations and put their crews on high alert as multiple rounds of rocket fire exploded all day and into the evening.

The IAF responded with targeted airstrikes on rocket launch pads during the day and after midnight Wednesday. At least six terrorists were killed in the strikes.

On Sunday, a four-person terror cell infiltrated Israel along its border with Egypt, killing an Israeli citizen from a construction crew building the security fence.

A statement from the IDF's spokesperson's office said Israel held the Hamas terror organization responsible for the activity in Gaza and the rocket attacks.