A major IDF anti-terrorism offensive is underway in southern Gaza, but the details are still sparse. Large forces have streamed in to the area in an effort to wipe out the terrorist infrastructures in Rafiach. See map of Gaza here.
The Israeli-Egyptian border cuts through the city of Rafiach, and the IDF has cut off the Palestinian Authority-controlled section from the rest of Gaza. This, in order to prevent the smuggling of terrorists and weapons to northern Gaza. Arutz-7's Kobi Finkler reports that the forces include infantry, armor, engineering forces and combat helicopters. The goal of the mission is to strike a mortal blow at the terrorist infrastructures in the city, by fighting or arresting terrorists, destroying weapons and ammunitions caches and manufacturing labs, and confiscating weapons. The operation is expected to last several days, and may involve house-to-house fighting.
The last time the army undertook a large operation in Rafiach was seven months ago, when it uncovered and destroyed three weapons-smuggling tunnels from Egypt, killing or arresting several terrorists, and destroying six buildings.
Earlier today, Israel Air Force helicopters attacked three targets in Gaza City, further north in the Gaza Strip.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Moshe Yaalon said yesterday that hundreds more structures must be razed - leaving an empty zone of 200 meters from the fence - in order to guarantee the army's operations there. He said that the Egyptians have turned a blind eye to the arms-smuggling operations into Gaza, and that terrorists are now attempting to smuggle Katyusha rockets from Sinai into Gaza. Katyushas with a range of only 15 kilometers would be able to hit Ashkelon, Sderot, Yad Mordechai, Netivot and more.
Four Palestinian terrorists were sighted last night approaching the Gaza fence near the area of Nachal Oz, just east of central Gaza. An IDF tank crew fired a shell at them, killing three - one of whom was found to be wearing an explosives vest for use in a suicide attack... Nearby, an IDF force discovered a 40-kilogram explosive, and Border Guard sappers safely detonated it... Palestinian terrorists fired a Kassam rocket at Elei Sinai in northern Gaza; no damage was caused...
Elsewhere in Israel: A high alert was declared in Jerusalem for a few hours last night in light of intelligence warnings of terror attacks. Cars were checked one by one at the city's northern entrances, and a curfew was imposed on Arab villages in the area... An ammunitions cache was found in Silwad, near Ramallah, last night. It included two rifles and hundreds of bullets. An Arab threw a large brick at the IDF force, which shot and wounded him. No Israelis were hurt...
The Israeli-Egyptian border cuts through the city of Rafiach, and the IDF has cut off the Palestinian Authority-controlled section from the rest of Gaza. This, in order to prevent the smuggling of terrorists and weapons to northern Gaza. Arutz-7's Kobi Finkler reports that the forces include infantry, armor, engineering forces and combat helicopters. The goal of the mission is to strike a mortal blow at the terrorist infrastructures in the city, by fighting or arresting terrorists, destroying weapons and ammunitions caches and manufacturing labs, and confiscating weapons. The operation is expected to last several days, and may involve house-to-house fighting.
The last time the army undertook a large operation in Rafiach was seven months ago, when it uncovered and destroyed three weapons-smuggling tunnels from Egypt, killing or arresting several terrorists, and destroying six buildings.
Earlier today, Israel Air Force helicopters attacked three targets in Gaza City, further north in the Gaza Strip.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Moshe Yaalon said yesterday that hundreds more structures must be razed - leaving an empty zone of 200 meters from the fence - in order to guarantee the army's operations there. He said that the Egyptians have turned a blind eye to the arms-smuggling operations into Gaza, and that terrorists are now attempting to smuggle Katyusha rockets from Sinai into Gaza. Katyushas with a range of only 15 kilometers would be able to hit Ashkelon, Sderot, Yad Mordechai, Netivot and more.
Four Palestinian terrorists were sighted last night approaching the Gaza fence near the area of Nachal Oz, just east of central Gaza. An IDF tank crew fired a shell at them, killing three - one of whom was found to be wearing an explosives vest for use in a suicide attack... Nearby, an IDF force discovered a 40-kilogram explosive, and Border Guard sappers safely detonated it... Palestinian terrorists fired a Kassam rocket at Elei Sinai in northern Gaza; no damage was caused...
Elsewhere in Israel: A high alert was declared in Jerusalem for a few hours last night in light of intelligence warnings of terror attacks. Cars were checked one by one at the city's northern entrances, and a curfew was imposed on Arab villages in the area... An ammunitions cache was found in Silwad, near Ramallah, last night. It included two rifles and hundreds of bullets. An Arab threw a large brick at the IDF force, which shot and wounded him. No Israelis were hurt...