Magen David Adom was put on its highest state of alert nationwide Wednesday by MDA Israel Director-General Eli Bin. This is the first time that MDA is on top alert throughout Israel, and not just in specific regions.
Several reasons were given for the high alert:
• The growing number of communities under threat of missile attack by Hamas.
• The concern that violence will get worse on Friday, which the Muslims often use for rioting, and that Arab citizens and residents of Israel will take part in riots.
• Specific intelligence warnings regarding terror attacks that are being planned by Arabs in Judea and Samaria and elsewhere.
• The civil New Year's Day which is often accompanied by drunken driving accidents and violence between celebrants.
Police are also on high alert. They have arrested 330 people for riots and disturbances since the beginning of Operation Cast Lead.
Home Front: rocket range may grow
The Home Front confirmed on Tuesday that rocket attacks on southern Israel would most likely continue for the next few days and that their range could grow. In wake of the attacks, the IDF and the Ministry of Defense have prioritized efforts to protect the civilian population.
Residents are asked to follow the safety directives when hearing an air raid signal, an explosion, or the Color Red advanced warning system.
The existing warning systems in Sderot will be augmented. The Home Command has begun to issue pagers that will go off whenever the Color Red advanced warning system is activated, and soldiers are distributing them to hearing-challenged residents of Sderot.
Residents of Nitzan in the south received on Tuesday large concrete sewer pipes for protection from rocket attacks. The army told them that the sewer pipes would not protect against a direct hit, but that they are better than the pre-fab structures that the residents live in, which provide very little protection.
Pace Quickens as Rocket Attacks Thicken
Colonel Eitan Yitzchak, Home Front Commander of the Southern District, said that fortification work is proceeding quickly because the state of war eliminates much of the red tape which usually holds it up.