Israel Matzav

Breaking: Grad rocket lands north of Ashdod; UPDATED Rocket hits Rishon LeZion

Israel Radio reports that two Grad rockets were fired at Ashdod a short while ago, one of which landed north of the city. That's the first time that a rocket shot from Gaza has landed north of Ashdod.

Isi Leibler writes that it's time for Israel to (finally) get tough with Hamas.

One is even tempted to compare the current situation with what happened 10 years ago when the crude and limited-range Kassam rockets were first launched against us and contemptuously dismissed by leaders as primitive missiles with little capacity to incur serious damage or casualties.

In a Jerusalem Post column at the time, I predicted that if we avoided tough measures to curtail these “primitive” rocket attacks, the international community would become accustomed to regarding Palestinian missile launches against our civilians as the norm.

When the government would ultimately be obliged to act, a world accustomed to Israeli passivity against such attacks, would accuse us of over-reacting.

Unfortunately, that is precisely what happened. Each time we responded, we were accused of disproportionality.

Moreover, the situation deteriorated to such an extent that we were left with no alternative but to mount a full scale war against Hamas in Gaza for which the international community condemned us.

IT IS thus alarming to observe the government again prevaricating, issuing empty threats and bombing primarily empty buildings in Gaza in response to increasing attacks.

...

We should be under no illusions. Limiting our responses in order to meet Western expectations of “proportionality” serves no purpose. The lesson learned from Cast Lead was that any action we undertake to defend ourselves will at best be condemned as disproportionate but more likely as war crimes. One need only compare the absence of international criticism to the innocent casualties from Western bombardments in Libya in contrast to the cynical and hypocritical condemnations of Israel during Cast Lead, despite the far greater efforts of the IDF to minimize civilian casualties.

Read the whole thing. He's spot-on. If we don't act now, we will pay a higher price later.

UPDATE 3:30 PM

JPost is now reporting that rocket hit Rishon LeZion, just 15 kilometers south of Tel Aviv.

Rockets were launched towards Rishon Lezion and Ashdod on Thursday afternoon, and sirens were heard in Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gedera and Gan Yavne. These were the sixth and seventh rocket attacks since Thursday morning.

IDF tanks shot into Gaza on Thursday, injuring one man, according to Palestinian sources, following five rockets launched from Gaza into Israel.

he strike came after the IAF struck four targets in Gaza Strip in the early morning, after Palestinians fired about a dozen rockets and mortars across the border, striking deep into Israel.

The tanks were aimed at a Hamas facility in Gaza City, which reportedly burst into flames.

Earlier Thursday, the IAF bombed terrorists that were attempting to shoot rockets into Israel.

Since Thursday morning, three Kassam rockets, one Grad missile and a mortar shell were shot into Israel from Gaza. Grad missiles landed in Ashdod and south of Rishon Lezion.

Hamas said Israel targeted smuggling tunnels along the Gaza-Egypt border, as well as one of its training camps in central Gaza.

A third strike hit a power transformer, causing blackouts in the area, witnesses said. Medical workers said no one was injured in the strikes.

The IDF confirmed that the IAF strikes were carried out in Gaza in response to earlier rocket attacks and that direct hits on multiple targets were recorded.

Read the whole thing. Anyone want to have a war?

Labels: Ashdod, Gaza, Grad rocket, Hamas

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 2:57 PM