Northern-most strike yet: Grad lands near Gadera
http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Article.aspx?id=261522
03/12/2012 14:41
A Grad rocket fired from the Gaza Strip landed in the Gedera area on Monday, marking the northern-most point hit by terrorists in the current round of escalation that began Friday and has included the launching of some 200 rockets by terrorists targeting southern Israel. A subsequent blast hit a residential area of Ashdod causing extensive damage to homes and injuring an elderly woman.
The Grad, which struck in the Gedera area, was one of 25 rockets fired into Israel on Monday. Some damage was caused to a structure in the attack.
Earlier on Monday, terrorists in the Gaza Strip directed rocket salvos at two major cities, Beersheba and Ashdod.
At least eight of the 25 rockets fired on Monday were intercepted by the Iron Dome rocket defense system.
One of seven rockets fired at the Eshkol Regional Council area overnight fell near a kindergarten, causing damage to a building.
Five rockets fired toward Ashdod were intercepted by the Iron Dome rocket defense system later on Monday. An additional rocket exploded in the Ashdod area on Monday afternoon, causing damage to homes. An elderly woman was evacuated to Kaplan Medical Center in Rehovot after being struck by flying glass shards.
Another large southern city, Beersheba was also victimized by rocket fire on Monday. Two rockets landed in an open area outside of the city and a third rocket was intercepted by the Iron Dome.
The Home Front Command, along with the heads of a number of local authorities in southern Israel, decided Sunday night to cancel school in all towns and cities located between 7 km to 40 km from the Gaza Strip for the second straight day. The decision applied to the cities of Ashkelon, Ashdod, Beersheba, Netivot, Sderot, Kiryat Malachi, Gadera, Rahat, Yavneh, Lakiyeh, and the Gan Yavneh Regional Council.
The IDF continued to respond to the attacks with at least nine airstrikes launched against terror targets in Gaza overnight Sunday and on Monday.
Palestinian Islamic Jihad said that two armed terrorists belonging to the organization were killed in IAF strikes, bringing the total number of Palestinians killed since hostilities began Friday to 20.
Palestinians later reported that three Palestinian civilians had been killed in IAF strikes. Gaza hospital sources added that 25 civilians were hurt when an Israeli rocket hit a house in northern Gaza. The IDF did not confirm the Palestinian reports.
The IAF strikes carried out early Monday morning targeted a weapons-storage site and four rocket-launch sites in the northern Gaza Strip and one rocket-launch site in the southern Gaza strip. The IDF confirmed hits on its targets, and stated that the strikes were in response to rocket fire.
The latest round of violence flared on Friday when an air strike killed two Palestinian terror leaders in Gaza accused by Israel of planning a cross-border attack via Egypt. A salvo of rockets followed, leaving six people wounded in Israel.
Reuters contributed to this report.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4201574,00.html
Strip's terror groups fire dozens of rockets at Negev communities; none injured. Air Force stikes several Gaza terror cells; Palestinians report Jihadist killed
Latest Update: 03.12.12, 13:43
Nonstop barrage on south continues: Gaza terrorists fired more than a dozen rockets at Israel's Negev communities Monday, as the escalation on the country's southern border entered its fourth day.
Color Red alerts and air raid sirens sounded frequently across the entire southern sector, from the Gaza vicinity communities and Sderot, to Beersheba, Ashdod, Ashkelon and Gan Yavne; followed by the sounds of exploding projectiles.
The Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the morning's salvo.
Israel Air Force jets targeted several terror cells in Gaza Strip overnight and Monday morning. The IDF said the pilots reported hitting their marks.
Color Red alerts sounded across the greater Sderot area at noon and moment later two rockets exploded – one just outside the city's limits, and the other in on of the nearby Ashkelon Coast Regional Council. No injuries or damage were reported.
At least five grad rockets were fired at Beersheba since the early hours of the morning and the Iron Dome battery stationed in the area was successfully engaged several times. Nevertheless, one hit was reported on the city's outskirts. Two rockets were later fired at Ashdod. Both were intercepted by Iron Dome.
Shortly beforehand, three mortar shells hit two trucks carrying supplies into Gaza Strip on the Palestinian side of Kerem Shalom crossing.
Overnight, two Color Red alerts sounded in Beersheba just moments before Islamic Jihad terrorists fired Grads at the city, prompting an IAF strike on targets in Gaza Strip.
A spokesperson for the Eshkol Regional Council said that seven rockets were fired at the council's communities overnight, landing mostly in open areas. One rocket hit a kindergarten building, causing some property damage but no injuries.
Two other rockets were fired at the Lachish area, causing no harm.
The Home Front Command reiterated its directive barring any mass gatherings of over 500 people within a 7-40km radius of the Gaza border.
The IDF advised the area's residents to remain close to shelters and abide by security forces' orders.
In accordance with the Home Front Command recommendations, IDF soldiers sent to reinforce the Gaza division troops, have begun escorting school buses in the Gaza vicinity communities, in order to help guide the children in case a Red Color alert is sounded.
'IDF targeting top Jihadists'
Palestinian sources reported two IAF strikes in the Strip's north and south, causing 35 civilian casualties.
According to one report, an operative with the al-Quds Brigades, the Islamic Jihad's military wing, was killed in one of the strikes.
Palestinian sources said that one of the strikes caused a three-story building in the northern Gaza neighborhood of Jabalya to collapse, injuring 17 people. Palestinian search and rescue services were reportedly on the scene and the injured were rushed to Gaza's Kamal Aduan hospital.
A second strike was reported in the central Gaza Strip neighborhood of Sajaiya, injuring three people.
Palestinian sources reported that a 17-year-old student Tamar Nabil Azzam, was killed in an IAF strike in northwest Gaza.
A spokesman for the Islamic Jihad said that the IDF was trying to target top operatives, but to no avail.
Islamic Jihad Deputy Secretary-General Ziad a-Nahala denied Monday reports suggesting Egypt was negotiating a ceasefire with Gaza's militant groups.
"Israel is the aggressor and so it has to half fire first. After that, we will assess the situation and decide on a ceasefire," he said.
A-Nahala added that the Islamic Jihad has informed Cairo that it opposes any ceasefire with Israel.
Meanwhile, Riyad Mansour, the PLO's observer to the United Nations, filed a grievance over Israel's "aggression" with the Security Council, the UN General Assembly and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
Mansour denounced "Israel's bloody brutality and terrorist acts against the Palestinian people," and urged a UN condemnation.
Ilana Curiel, Elior Levy, Yoav Zitun and Neri Brenner contributed to this report
Geen opmerkingen:
Een reactie posten