EXCLUSIVE Moment two Israeli teenagers miss downed Hamas rocket by seconds – leaving them ‘lucky to be alive’ 

This is the astonishing moment two teenage boys cheated death after shrapnel from a downed Hamas missile narrowly avoided them.

The boys, who have not been identified, got the shock of their lives after the metal casing from the rocket struck a tree as they were walking just a few inches away from it.

In the clip, which was filmed in Tel Aviv, the boys are then seen jumping backwards before looking skywards and walking away.

Officials said they were ‘lucky to be alive’ and it came amid reports other shrapnel debris had been found across the Israeli capital following a barrage of rockets on Tuesday afternoon.

The rocket was fired 60 miles away from Gaza and took just a few minutes to reach the city and alarms had been sounded but it’s unclear why the boys chose to go out.

This is the astonishing moment two teenage boys cheated death after shrapnel from a downed Hamas missile narrowly avoided them

The metal casing from a rocket (pictured) struck a tree as the two boys were walking just a few inches away from it

Footage shows the two boys walking along the pavement before they cower away as the Hamas rocket shrapnel lands next to them

More than 11,500 rockets – mostly Russian or Iranian made – have been launched from Gaza since the October 7 attacks and the vast majority are taken out by the Iron Dome protection system.

The $2billion system – partly funded by the US – is designed to intercept and destroy short range rockets and artillery shells fired from up to 60 miles away and has been used since 2011.

Each interception is said to cast $150,000 and there are 10 batteries deployed across the country, with plans to take them up to 15 and the majority are located in the south close to Gaza or the north near Lebanon.

Separate footage shows smoke rising from the scene after the downed rocket landed by the tree

A school in Tel Aviv was damaged by shrapnel from the same detonation, with a hole visible in the building 

The rockets are only fired when missiles are projected to reach a built up area and if a threat is detected a launcher will fire 20 interceptor missiles that detonate near the projectile.

Israel claims it is 90 per cent effective but it warns that even after the rocket has been destroyed people should wait at least ten minutes before leaving the shelter to avoid being hit by debris.

Besides Tel Aviv – which has come under sustained attack after a brief lull – there were also rocket attacks at Sderot close to Gaza.

A school in Tel Aviv was also damaged by shrapnel from the same detonation and three people were taken to hospital in Sderot with shock after a building close to them was hit.

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