When rockets started to land in Ashdod, the heads of the Grodno Yeshiva (a satellite of Ponevezh in Ashdod) asked the great sage Rav Elyashiv shlit"a what to do. This is what Rav Elyashiv shlit"a said:

Under no circumstances should the yeshiva leave Ashdod. First of all, the zechus of their Torah learning would protect them. It is incumbent upon them to have bitachon in Hashem. Second, it would harm the morale of others in Ashdod if the Yeshiva were to abandon them, especially as the people of Ashdod are extremely cognizant of the great merit that the Yeshiva brings to their town. Third, since the bochurim are young and able-bodied and many people in the town are elderly or sick, it is important for the bochurim to do all they can to help those people who need assistance. Of course, since the reason that the bochurim are not involved in the war effort as soldiers is that they are immersed in learning, it is especially important that every moment not spent on chessed be spent on learning.

The kiddush Hashem that the Grodno Yeshiva caused through their exemplary behavior in Ashdod during the course of the war in Gaza is no doubt one of the reasons that Tzahal has been zocheh to such success in the war effort. May Hashem grant Rav Elyashiv arichus yamim veshanim and continued ability to shepherd Klal Yisrael with the wisdom and compassion that has characterized his leadership for so many years.