Eight people were wounded Friday as Gaza militants fired more than 20 rockets into southern Israel.

The barrage of rockets began Friday afternoon after the Israel Air Force launched a strike in Gaza and killed the leader of the Popular Resistance Committees, who was believed to be planning a large terror attack on Israel's southern border.

One person was seriously wounded by a mortar shell that exploded in the Eshkol Regional Council, and two more were moderately and lightly hurt. The three were evacuated to Soroka Hospital in Be'er Sheva.

Two more people were wounded in a car accident caused after a Grad rocket fell near the southern Israeli city of Ashdod. Three more Israelis were lightly wounded when they fell trying to reach bomb shelters when the alarm sounded.

Three Grad rockets were fired toward the southern Israeli city of Ashdod - two were intercepted by the Iron Dome anti-missile system, and one exploded in an open area near the city. There were no casualties but slight damage was done to a house.

Moreover, two rockets were fired at Be'er Sheva, one exploded in an open area and the other was intercepted by Iron Dome. The anti-missile system also successfully intercepted two rockets that were fired toward Ashkelon.