Israel ordered the evacuation of Sderot on Sunday, a rocket landed just as the evacuation began

Southern city has received 75 direct hits since war began

Israel Defense Forces began evacuating residents of the southern city of Sderot on Sunday morning, in accordance with a government order.

The order is widely seen as one of the final steps before the the launch of the IDF's ground campaign into Gaza.

Just minutes after the evacuation started, a rocket from Gaza hit a home in Sderot, destroying it.

🚨#BREAKING: Moments ago a rocket fired from #Gaza directly hit a house in Sderot, southern #Israel. No physical injuries reported so far. #IsraelUnderAttack pic.twitter.com/frqt7ooaQj
— StandWithUs (@StandWithUs) October 15, 2023

No one was reported injured in the attack, as the family had already evacuated the building.

ALL ISRAEL NEWS Editor-in-Chief Joel Rosenberg was in Sderot when the rocket attack happened.

[Click here to read his firsthand account.]

At the time, Rosenberg was on a tour of Sderot with several foreign ambassadors and dignitaries, led by Knesset Member Danny Danon, Israel’s former UN Ambassador.

Rosenberg and the rest of the delegation were forced to run to the nearest bomb shelter as the “Red Alert” sirens were sounded.

While citizens in other parts of Israel have been given between 30 to 60 seconds to reach shelter when air raid sirens sound, due to Sderot's close proximity to Gaza, the IDF Homefront Command has given its residents only 8 to 15 seconds to reach shelter.

Sderot is the first city in Israel to receive an evacuation order during the conflict.

Approximately two-thirds of the city’s residents already left the city over the past week, while the government hopes to evacuate the rest today.

Sderot Deputy Mayor Elad Kalimi said that the southern city has endured 75 direct rocket strikes since the war began on Saturday morning, Oct. 7.

The Israeli government is providing support to residents of Sderot and has announced financial aid for residents fleeing the city, which will be available for one week. In addition, hotels and places of lodging in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Eilat will receive residents evacuating the city.

Sderot Mayor Alon Davidi said the government is working to “raise more funds to facilitate residents," and has asked them to remain outside of the city during the course of the war.