By JPOST.COM STAFF, YAAKOV LAPPIN, BEN HARTMAN
LAST UPDATED: 10/24/2012 13:38
Hamas claims responsibility for rockets; IAF strikes terrorist squads, killing 4 Hamas members; southern municipalities cancel school; Iron Dome successfully intercepts eight Grad rockets fired at South.
Palestinians fired eight rockets and mortar shells into the Ashkelon Regional Council on Wednesday afternoon, the latest in a barrage of rockets raining down on southern Israel since Tuesday night.
The Iron Dome successfully intercepted a Grad rocket, the eighth it has struck down since Tuesday night.
IAF strikes targeting Palestinian rocket-launching squads killed four Hamas operatives but did little to stem the flow of rockets.
Hamas’s armed wing, the Al-Qassam brigades, took responsibility Wednesday for both a barrage of rockets unleashed against Israel since Tuesday night and the bomb that critically injured an IDF officer along the Gaza border on Tuesday. The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) took responsibility for the Gaza border bomb.
In a statement posted on its website, Hamas said it was responsible for rockets, which it said were a response to IDF air strikes from 7:00 to 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday. It also said that on Tuesday it “detonated a roadside bomb near Israeli infantry soldiers east of Khanyounis city.”
Of the projectiles fired by the terrorists, 22 landed in the Eshkol region while 21 landed in the Lachish region, according to the Israel Police. An additional 10 rockets landed in the South on Wednesday morning. The Iron Dome intercepted seven Grad rockets, according to the IDF. The barrage followed 10 rockets fired on Tuesday evening, making a total of 77. Five homes were damaged, according to Israel Radio.
Of the five injured, three were foreign workers, two of whom suffered critical injuries and were evacuated via helicopter to Soroka Medical Center. The others were either lightly injured or being treated for shock, according to Israel Radio.
IDF Home Front command instructed residents living within 10 km of Gaza to remain indoors and take shelter.
Air raid sirens went off during the attacks and local residents fled for cover. Southern municipalities canceled schools amid the ongoing escalation. Police have heightened patrols around Gaza in the south, including bomb sappers to deal with the heightened threat.
The IAF carried out an air strike around 7 a.m. Wednesday morning following three operations overnight, each striking rocket-launching cells in the northern and southern Gaza Strip. Hamas said that four of its operatives were killed in the strikes, and another three injured. The IDF also launched tank fire at targets in southern Gaza on Wednesday morning.
On Tuesday, Palestinian terrorists detonated an explosive on the Gaza-Israel border, seriously injuring an IDF company commander.
The explosive was placed on a gate in the Kissufim region, near Kibbutz Ein Hashlosha.
Army paramedics administered first aid, before airlifting the officer, in very serious condition, to the Soroka University Medical Center in Beersheba. Doctors battled to stabilize him.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu warned that Israel’s response to the bomb attack would be “very hard,” while Barak characterized the attack as a “severe incident.”
The Kissufim region, which borders central Gaza, has become a daily combat zone between Hamas and its affiliated terror groups and the IDF.
Palestinian factions regularly plant bombs along the border, fire mortar shells at army positions, and terrorize Israeli farmers with rocket attacks.
Herb Keinon contributed to this report
“Notice how the world is silent and forget the UN, this worthless body governed by gangster and terrorist nations.”
“‘Friend’ is sometimes a word devoid of meaning; ‘enemy’ never.” -Victor Hugo
Time for Israel to smash some faces in.
Sorry about that.
I mean KICK SOME ASS
As of yesterday 75 rockets from Gaza.
Israel must have the patience of Job.
What nation would allow terrorist to continue to fire rockets upon their land and people without destroying them.
Time to retake Gaza and clean out the scumbag terrorist, taking out Hamas top down.
Notice how the world is silent and forget the UN, this worthless body governed by gangster and terrorist nations.
Israel, time to kiss some ass.
Sudan: another peace-loving Islamic state.
81 as of a couple of hours ago. But who is counting. The present or any other GoI out of the present system in Israel, WILL NOT act to defend Jews. Attacking Jews is far easier.
As to why virtually every rocket flew in and landed. Material technology has rendered radar footprint, for the most, quite irrelevant. The rockets, the drone and the raid on the factory in Sudan tell. No need to expand on that but, in my opinion, should Netanyahu really wanted, the IAF could have flown to Iran and back generally safe from detection.
“Jews are the smartest people in the world.”
I agree.
Shy Guy Said:
Don’t sell yourself short. Jews are the smartest people in the world. But when it comes to politics and Israeli leaders something has gone awry.
Every area that rockets are fired from should be levelled/defoliated. Israel should employ a scorched earth policy like Putin did in Chechnya.
Israel can’t chew gum and scratch it’s head at the same time!!!!
Sudan says Israeli planes bombed arms factory, killing two
Khartoum claims four IAF aircraft struck Yarmouk Complex; Israel declines comment
By AP and Ilan Ben Zion October 24, 2012, 5:27 pm Updated: October 24, 2012, 6:35 pm 5
Israeli airstrikes caused an explosion and large fire at a military factory south of the capital, Khartoum, killing two people, Sudan’s government spokesman claimed Wednesday.
Minister of Information Ahmed Belal Osman told reporters Wednesday that four aircraft struck the Yarmouk Complex, causing an explosion that rocked the capital just before dawn.
“Four planes coming from the east bombed the Yarmouk industrial complex,” Belal said. “They used sophisticated technology.” He didn’t elaborate further.
“We think Israel did the bombing,” Belal charged. “We reserve the right to react at a place and time we choose,” and may take the issue to the UN Security Council, he told reporters.
The Yarmouk facility is located approximately 1900 kilometers from Israeli territory, approximately the same distance from Israel as Iran, Channel 2 pundit Ehud Ya’ari noted.
The Israeli military and Foreign Ministry refused to comment.
He further claimed that “evidence pointing to Israel was found among remnants of the explosives,” AFP reported.
*****Israel penetrated Sudan without detection by Russian and American radars.**** Yamit
Israel Just answered critics how said Israel could not get to Iran and back because of distance or detection by America and her allies.
80 rockets, shells fired from Gaza Wednesday; PM threatens ‘more extensive’ response if they continue 🙂 🙂 🙂
Barak: No need to rush into Gaza ground incursion 🙂 🙂 🙂
Defense minister says peace should be pursued alongside the war on terror; opposition leader Mofaz says government’s inconsistency emboldens Hamas
My country. Stupid Jews.