zaterdag 9 januari 2010

Gaza: beschietingen over en weer nemen toe


Een jaar na de Gaza Oorlog nemen de aanvallen over en weer toe, tot nu toe gelukkig met weinig slachtoffers. Hamas zelf houdt zich vooralsnog rustig, en is druk bezig met het binnensmokkelen van grotere raketten voor een toekomstige confrontatie. Ondertussen is in Israel het Iron Dome defensie systeem met succes getest, en kan het naar verwachting van de zomer operationeel worden. Met dit systeem worden inkomende raketten onderschept en vernietigd. Het enige nadeel is dat het erg duur is, dus voor echt grote aantallen raketten is het minder geschikt.
 
RP
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Last update - 22:54 08/01/2010       
Gaza militants fire 2 Qassam rockets into southern Israel
By Haaretz Service
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1141329.html
 
 
Two Qassam rockets were fired from the Gaza strip into southern Israel on Friday evening.
 
Israeli media sources report that there was no injuries or damage caused by the rockets.
 
On Thursday, a Qassam launched at Israel exploded just south of Ashkelon, causing no casualties or damage. The rocket fire came at the heels of a barrage of mortar shells earlier in the day, with Gaza militants firing at least 10 shells into Israel, and an anti-tank missile being fired at Israel Defense Forces troops patrolling the border with Gaza.
 
On Wednesday, GOC Southern Command Yoav Galant warned Negev residents that the quiet Israel has recently experienced along the Gaza border may only be temporary, adding that the IDF was prepared to face tensions should they arise.
 
Galant also urged civilians in the Negev to "prepare themselves for another round of fighting."
 
Hamas had said it was cracking down on militant groups firing at Israel from the Gaza Strip, but communities in the Negev have been hit with rockets numerous times in the year since the IDF embarked on Operation Cast Lead.
 
Just last week, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) claimed responsibility for firing two Russian-made Grad missiles from Gaza at southern Israel.
 
The Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) also claimed responsibility for firing four mortar shells at Israeli army vehicles near the border the week before.

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IDF Spokesperson
January 8th, 2010
In Response to Rocket and Mortar Shells Fired at Israel, IAF Struck Terrorist Facilities in the Gaza Strip

In response to the barrage of mortar shells and the Qassam rocket fired into Israel yesterday,  the Israel Air Force struck and identified hitting four targets in the Gaza Strip in a joint IDF-ISA operation. One terror tunnel in the central Gaza Strip and two smuggling tunnels in the Rafah Border area and one weapons-manufacturing facility in Gaza City were among the targets.

The terror tunnel was intended to be used for infiltration into Israeli territory in order to execute a terrorist attack against Israeli citizens or IDF soldiers. The tunnel was dug a kilometer away from the security fence.

More than 280 rockets and mortars were fired at Israel since the end of operation Cast Lead and more than 750 hit Israel in the whole of 2009. Throughout 2008, prior to Cast Lead, over 3300 rockets and mortars were fired at Israel from the Gaza Strip.

The IDF will not tolerate the firing of rockets by terrorist organizations at Israel and will continue to respond against any attempt to disrupt the calm in Israel's southern communities.

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