Posted on 03/12/2014 1:35:53 PM PDT by Former Fetus
Terrorists in the Gaza Strip have battered towns and villages in southern Israel with at least 60 rockets, hitting several Jewish communities in the largest-scale attack since the 2012 Pillar of Defense counterrorism operation.
The IDF has sent tanks into Gaza over the past several minutes, and have already eliminated two terror targets, in response to the barrage of rocket fire on Israel.
Several were stopped by the Iron Dome; no injuries have been reported. Thousands of Negev residents remain in shelters Wednesday evening, however, until the attacks have subsided.
IDF Radio is reporting that over 60 rockets have landed in Israel so far, after initial reports put the number at closer to 25. Of those, at least five were launched at Sderot; the Iron Dome has stopped some of them from making an impact on Israeli soil, according to the latest updates.
No injuries have been reported.
The Islamic Jihad terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the attack, in response to IAF airstrikes in Gaza on Tuesday, which killed three Islamic Jihad terrorists. Those airstrikes were themselves a response to an attempted mortar attack on IDF forces by the terrorist squad.
"The Al-Quds Brigades responded to [Israeli] aggression with a volley of rockets," read a statement released by the Iranian-backed group.
At least of one of the communities near Gaza has reported damage from the rocket fire, according to the latest news reports, though it has not been confirmed which one.
Residents are being advised to stay in protective shelters until further updates warrant; the Israeli Police has raised the alert level throughout the Negev in response to the rocket fire.
IAF helicopters are patrolling the skies near Gaza now, as "security forces and the IDF are weighing the appropriate response," according to Walla! News.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu reacted to the attack by pledging a "forceful" response against those responsible.
"This seems to be in response to our counterterrorism efforts yesterday," Netanyahu declared, according to Channel 2. "We will continue to strike those who want to harm us, we'll act against them very forcefully." The attack comes a day after the Israeli navy revealed the contents of the Klos C weapons ship, intercepted on its way to Gaza by Israeli commandos.
Evidence seems to suggest the ship was sent by Iran, and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu told reporters the contents - including nearly 200 mortar shells and dozens of Iranian-made medium-range rockets - underlined how the Islamic Republic was directly aiding Gaza-based terrorists to target Israeli civilians.
The deadly cargo was reported intended primarily for Islamic Jihad.
The rocket fire also comes less than an hour after Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron addressed the Israeli Knesset, and voiced his support for ongoing peace efforts between Israel and the PA.
Am Israel Chai!
Once again, like with 911 and the Boston atrocity,
Kerry KNEW beforehand, and had threatened Israel
under the aegis of the “American” State Dept.
Dear God I wish Israel would just go ahead and send all these pigs to Hell....
Apparently Israel did not do a through job if this last week:
Israel Navy intercepts Gaza-bound Iranian rocket ship near Port Sudan
WAY past time to clear out Gaza.
Damned right.
Israel captured a ship from Iran carrying Syrian made missiles a few days ago. They were headed to Sudan to be smuggled over land to Gaza. It seems Putin’s ally Assad and their Iranian allies are still up to their normal evil. Obama should wake up.
I hope they take no half-measures this time. The IDF should occupy all of Gaza and demand an unconditional hands-up surrender of all Palestinian guerrillas.
RE; Obama should wake up.
The man has NO SYMPATHY for Israel.
We need John Kerry to go and tell those Israeli citizens sitting in bomb shelters that they’re not doing enough to encourage peace.
Israel doesn’t need us, we need Israel.
According to the libs, Israel.can only respond with an equal and balanced attack....to the lib that means throwing 60 bagels at them...no smear though....
Battery
Radar
Obama is against anything that strengthens America.
But Bill O’Reilly continues to see him as a patriot. Amazing.
We could take up a collection.
Obama will respond by expressing deep concern.
Under Obama, the US government is an enemy of Israel and an enabler of Islamic terrorists and probably even a supplier of some of their weaponry through the Benghazi operation, direct aid to the Syrian terrorists and training and arms to the Palestinian Authority, not to mention installing a Muslim Brotherhood government in Egypt before the Egyptian military took back the country.
The BBC reports 30 rockets in an otherwise similar story:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-26549247
Obama’s UN Ambassador wants to invade Israel as it is.
Obama should wake up.
********************************
He’s wide awake. He’s an enemy of Israel, plain and simple. The lofty words of ‘ally’ and ‘friend’ cover up his Muslim leanings (personally, I think he’s a closet Muslim in addition to a few other things) and outright sabotage of Israel. Actions speak louder than words.
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