Palestinian terrorists operating out of the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip fired two rockets into southern Israel in two separate attacks on Tuesday and Wednesday. There were no injuries or damage in the attacks.

Israeli warplanes responded by bombing terrorist smuggling tunnels running under the Gaza-Egypt border.

The attacks came as Israel's military leadership announced that it had decided against permanently deploying a new anti-rocket system in southern Israel at this time.

The Iron Dome system is expected to be ready for action in May, but the army now says it will remain parked at an air force base in southern Israel and only deployed to the field in the event of a serious escalation in Palestinian rocket fire.

Residents of the south complained that the decision was a demonstration that the government had learned nothing from previous escalations in the area, and that it will refrain from taking any significant action until a high number of Israelis are either killed or wounded by the rockets.

As usual, the fear of international condemnation stands behind the Israeli government's hesitation to defend its own citizens before the situation turns deadly.