A mortar shell slammed into an Israeli home in Kibbutz Sa'ad last night, causing damage but no casualties; no one was in the home at the time. This was not the first time this week that an Arab-launched mortar shell had hit Negev areas inside Israel-proper. In apparent response, the Israel Defense Forces entered the southern Gaza town of Rafiach last night, blew up Kassam-missile production shops, and arrested several suspects. Troops returned fire in the direction of grenade-throwing Arabs, one of whom was reportedly killed. The dozens of tanks, accompanied by a combat helicopter, withdrew from the area this morning.
On April 17, 2001, after the Oslo War's first mortar shells into Israel-proper - four at the city of Sderot - IDF air and ground forces attacked several Palestinian Authority targets in Gaza, including a Force 17 training base, the office of the Tanzim chief in Dir el Balah, and Preventive Security headquarters in Sheikh Radwan. Defense Minister Ben-Eliezer's office announced at the time, "In light of the intolerable shooting actions against Israeli towns, the order [was given] to the IDF to take action within the Gaza Strip in order to clarify to the Palestinians that the State of Israel will not accept this type of incident."
On April 17, 2001, after the Oslo War's first mortar shells into Israel-proper - four at the city of Sderot - IDF air and ground forces attacked several Palestinian Authority targets in Gaza, including a Force 17 training base, the office of the Tanzim chief in Dir el Balah, and Preventive Security headquarters in Sheikh Radwan. Defense Minister Ben-Eliezer's office announced at the time, "In light of the intolerable shooting actions against Israeli towns, the order [was given] to the IDF to take action within the Gaza Strip in order to clarify to the Palestinians that the State of Israel will not accept this type of incident."