Israeli Armored Force Enters Northern Gaza

Yahoo! Reuters ^

[dajudem]

Israeli Armored Force Enters Northern Gaza -Source Mon Mar 22, 5:12 PM ET JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel sent armored vehicles into the northern Gaza Strip (news - web sites) Monday after Palestinian militants fired rockets from the territory into Israel, a military source said.

The source said a small number of armored vehicles had entered a zone about 1,000 feet from a border fence between the Gaza Strip and southern Israel's Negev region, after at least four rockets had been fired from Gaza.

The move came hours after the assassination of Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and threats by angry militants to avenge his death.

Palestinian security sources said none of the Israeli soldiers was inside a Palestinian-controlled area. Witnesses said they had seen some tanks near the northern town of Beit Hanoun, but far from Palestinian residential areas.

There were no reported casualties in Monday's rocket attacks, but the source said Israel was keen to prevent further firings at Israeli civilian areas.

[Blue Scourge]

Sending the Merkeva's in...I always enjoyed watching some dumb kid run up and throw rocks...only to wise up real quick when the turret turns and faces him.

[Betaille]

This is a defensive half-measure. These tanks should be sent in to kill the rest of Hamas... not just to sheild a few rockets.

[JerseyHighlander]

Ok, so begrudgingly:

Debka scooped Rueters on this, but since this is inside Israel, it still doesn't upgrade Debka's credibility outside of Israel....

Most theory would suggest Israel is going to incur the greatest wrath upon the Palenstinian terrorist in the shortest amount of time, and then pull out. Better to take the heat all at once and get it over with, then suffer another 2-3 years of this intifada.

What I've been wondering is, was Sharon's surprise announcement of unilateral Israeli settlement withdrawal from the Gaza Strip a feint, or a back up plan is this operation goes badly.

And some support to the IDF

[tessalu]

Palestinians declared intifada and wanted intifada, and this is what they have asked for, no doubt about it.

[oolatec]

The best way for Israel to defend herself is to bomb the funeral processions of people like Yassin... looking at the pictures from Yahoo, there are nothing but terrorists mobs. Easy targets if you ask me...

[GeronL]

Pound them, bash them, crush them, bag them

Catch the pigeon, catch the pigeon

Nab them, grab them, drown them, stomp them!!

Mutley!!!

[dajudem]

sorry I wasn't aware of Debka's scoop -- maybe I will look there first..

Perhaps the backup plan is -- not to pull out --of Gaza? If Israel pulls out and doesn't punish Gaza at all, then her leaving will be seen as leaving in weakness. She is showing that she is "not retreating" -- in no uncertain terms. If all she does is behead the snake, and inflict some serious damage on militants there is little chance that the other Arabs will come to the defense. I think

[AlaskaErik]

That dirtbag peice of terrorist scum wasn't assassinated...he was neutralized. On NBC Nightly News you'd think a saint had died. Tom referred to him as a spiritual leader. Just one more scumbag terrorist entering Hell is what I make of this.