The Israel Air Force attacked Gaza targets three times today. Using two F-16 jets, the Israel Air Force first bombed and destroyed a building next door to the home of Abdullah Shami, a senior Islamic Jihad leader in Gaza. Shami escaped without injury, but several other Arabs were hurt. Responding to Arab "accusations" that the bomb had missed its target, the army announced that it had not intended to kill Shami, but rather to destroy a large explosives factory. Ammunition and explosives produced there served Hamas for Kassam rockets, mortar shells, anti-tank rockets, shooting attacks, and bombs. The attack took place around 8:15 this morning - 13 hours after the killing of three soldiers in Ein Yabrud last night.



Shortly afterwards, two Hamas terrorists were spotted driving out of the destroyed building. IAF helicopters then rained down missiles on the Hamas pick-up truck, which was in fact loaded with explosives. The two terrorists, who were killed on the spot together with a third Arab, were apparently trying to transport the explosives to the building which was next to be targeted: another explosives factory less than a kilometer away. That structure was similarly destroyed in yet a third IAF raid shortly after noon.



IDF spokesmen explained that the three attacks were a concerted effort against Hamas' Kassam rocket capabilities. Just yesterday, Arabs in Gaza fired some ten Kassam rockets at Israeli targets in Sderot and environs.



IDF soldiers discovered two large explosives this morning along the northern Gaza fence. Sappers safely dismantled the bombs.