Israel Matzav

Breaking: Fireworks displays in Rafah, Khan Yunis

After warning 'Palestinians' in Rafah to leave their homes earlier today, the IAF is now putting on a fireworks display along the Philadelphi corridor (the red line at bottom left of the picture) and in Rafah (whose residents were also told to evacuate).

Around 6:00 p.m. a car was hit in the Rafah area at the southern Gaza Strip. Earlier a Hamas outpost in the Bani Swaheil area east of Khan Yunis was destroyed. Several smuggling tunnels along the Philadelphi Corridor were also struck.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who was speaking at the Herzliya Conference, told attendees that "the IAF is operating in the Gaza Strip right now."

Earlier, after the Grad-type rocket hit in Ashkelon on Tuesday morning, the IDF warned residents of Rafah, in the south of the Gaza Strip, that they should leave their homes lest they be caught in an IAF air strike.

The recorded messages, in Arabic, said people who work in tunnels, live near them or are "giving logistical help to terrorists" should evacuate the area immediately, residents said.

Haaretz adds:

An Israel Air Force aircraft bombed smuggling tunnels connecting Gaza with Egypt on Tuesday after a rocket launched from the Islamist Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip struck the southern port city of Ashkelon, Gaza residents and Hamas officials said.

One Israeli plane also fired a missile into a training position of the armed wing of Hamas in Abassan village east of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, Hamas and residents said.

There were no immediate reports of casualties in either of the attacks.

Unfortunately, this is a nice show, but it's unlikely to stop the attacks.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:38 PM