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A friend, an American living in the Israeli city of Ariel on the 'West Bank' reports hearing and seeing lots of air activity.

(IsraelNN.com) Investigators are beginning to piece together the events that took place on Tuesday night at the Ein Ariq Checkpoint west of Ramallah, near the community of Talmon, that claimed the life of six combat soldiers and wounded a seventh. The eight soldiers assigned to the checkpoint escaped without physical injuries. The location of the assault is located in an area “B”, under Israeli security control.

The combat engineering corps soldiers arrived at the post about an hour ahead of the attack that occurred at 7:00pm. Authorities believe three or four terrorists perpetrated the attack although this remains uncertain at this time. The assault according to officials was well planned, based on intelligence information that indicates the terrorists were aware the soldiers had just taken responsibility for the post, replacing the veterans in the area. The assault came before the newly arrived combatants had a chance to acclimatize to their new post, leading commanders to reevaluate the protocol for operating at checkpoints throughout Yesha.

ALL THE SOLDIERS WERE HIT IN THEIR HEADS
Investigators report all the soldiers were hit by terrorist gunfire from close range, all struck in their heads. Emergency medical personnel that arrived on the scene quickly realized that there was nothing to be done for the six, all mortally wounded. Helicopters were ordered to the scene but only one soldier was transported, by ambulance, to the Tel HaShomer Hospital in Tel Aviv. The six were pronounced dead on the scene.

ALL THREE POSITIONS IN THE OUTPOST WERE MANNED
The terrorists approached from both sides of the road, opening fire at the soldiers manning the post from close range. They were killed immediately. Gunfire was then directed at the soldier near the building that housed the troops. They thought he was dead but he was the only soldier of the seven hit by gunfire to survive. The terrorists then entered the building and killed the three soldiers inside. The eighth soldier, positioned on the roof of the building, returned fire.

WOUNDED SOLDIER STILL UNDERGOING SURGERY
Physicians in Tel Aviv’s Tel HaShomer Hospital report this morning that the wounded soldier, described in moderate condition, is still undergoing surgery for the multiple gunshot wounds to his upper body.

TWO GUNS STOLEN
Terrorists took the weapons of two soldiers after killing them, leaving behind one AK-47 that was recovered by investigators on the scene.

FATAH CLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY
The al-Aqsa Brigade of the Fatah terrorist organization claimed responsibility for the attack. Fatah also claimed responsibility for a string of failed and successful suicide bombing and shooting attacks since last week that claimed the lives of many innocent persons, including the teenagers murdered on Saturday night in the Shomron community of Karnei Shomron.

RETALIATION
The IDF retaliated by air, land, and sea, striking PA targets in Ramallah, Shechem, and Gaza.

Ground forces moved into a PA village in the Shomron, near Ariel. Helicopter gunships targeted PA targets in the Shechem area as well as in Ramallah. Gaza targets were also hit by air as well as from the sea with an assault carried out by an Israeli Navy vessel.

Some of the targets hit in the retaliatory action include:
a) PA checkpoint east of Balata,
b) PA checkpoint near the village of Khalil,
c) PA checkpoint near the village of Tel,
d) PA checkpoint south of Ramallah,
e) Two Hamas terrorists were arrested southwest of Ariel together with five Arabs found with weapons,
f) 13 suspects arrested in Hevron, Bethlehem, & Ramallah areas,
g) Khan Yunis security facility,
h) Anwar-2 naval base,
i) Security facility in Gaza city,
j) PA coast guard vessel was destroyed,
k) Government building in Ramallah.

PA officials are reporting at least nine persons, including security forces, were killed in the attack. Five security forces were killed in attacks at PA checkpoints.

INVESTIGATION CONTINUES
The investigation into the attack continues. Senior command officials have already announced earlier that the regulations governing the manning of a checkpoint would be changed. Following the murder of a Sgt. Lee Nachman Akonis at a Surda checkpoint on Friday night, an order was handed down that soldiers could not remain on duty at a checkpoint for more than four hours. The order came after it was learned the three soldiers at the checkpoint did not respond to the attack properly, partially due to their reduced alertness that was a result of being at the checkpoint for 14 hours.

The Security Cabinet is meeting this morning following days of suicide attacks and unsuccessful attacks that have claimed 17 lives and left many wounded since Thursday night. In addition, there have been many attacks thwarted by security forces.

there are FReepers in Israel, I think someone should ping them.

The Palies have started using longer range rockets and anti-tank weapons and its time the Israeli's starting hitting building that are not empty. This was a good start, they really went after Force 17 today

These headlines make me sick! They show nothing but the biased views of the media against Irael.
One would think that one terrorist attack after another would have everyone in the world understanding who are the bad guys, but it's amazing how our enemies are able to water everything down so that the entire impact is lost. For instance, if a suicide terrorist kills two Israeli women, the headline will say, "One Palestinian, Two Israelis Killed in Attack."

I don't think attacks on military targets can be classified as terrorism.