Israel Matzav

Breaking: IDF hitting terror sites in Gaza (UPDATED WITH PICTURE OF CAR SWARM)

Within the past hour, the IDF has targeted - and killed - Hamas terror commander Ahmed Jabari (pictured right).

In the past hour, the IDF targeted Ahmed Jabri, the head of Hamas’ military wing, in the Gaza Strip. Jabri was a senior Hamas operative who served in the upper echelon of the Hamas’ command and was directly responsible for executing terror attacks against the State of Israel in the past number of years.

The purpose of this operation was to severely impair the command and control chain of the Hamas leadership, as well as its terrorist infrastructure. This was a surgical operation in cooperation with the Israeli Security Agency, that was implemented on the basis of concrete intelligence and using advanced capabilities.

JPost adds:

The airstrike marked the beginning of a campaign to target Hamas and Islamic Jihad terror organizations in Gaza, IDF spokesman Yoav Mordechai said.

"The first aim of this operation is to bring back quiet to southern Israel, and the second target is to strike at terror organizations," Mordechai said.

Mordechai described Jabari as a man with "a lot of blood on his hands." The IDF has urged civilians to pay attention to instructions from the Home Front Command in light of the developments.

Over the past 48 hours, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz has approved a series of steps following a four-day rocket barrage on southern Israel.

"All options are open," the IDF spokesman said, adding "we are very determined to strike at terror organizations."

The IDF confirmed that Jabari was killed in the attack which came after four rockets landed in the Eshkol Regional Council area on Wednesday. The IDF was reportedly checking if the rockets were fired from Gaza or Egypt's Sinai Peninsula.

And we still have over two months to inauguration day. Good.

UPDATED 5:15 PM

Here's more from Al-AP about Jabari. 

The Israeli military says its assassination of the Hamas military commander marks the beginning of an operation against Gaza militants.

Wednesday's airstrike in Gaza killed Ahmed Jabari, head of the Hamas military wing. The killing was a dramatic resumption of Israel's policy of assassinating Palestinian militant leaders.

Military spokeswoman Lt. Col. Avital Leibovitch said the attack is the "start of a broader operation."

Jabari is the most senior Hamas official to be killed since an Israeli invasion of Gaza four years ago.

Jabari has long topped Israel's most-wanted list. Israel blames him for a string of attacks, including the kidnapping of Israeli soldier Gilad Schalit in 2006.

 And here's what you all want. Here's a picture of the car swarm:

The Jewish Press reports that Jabari's Lieutenant was critically wounded in the attack and that Jabari's son was killed.

Here's another picture of Jabari that may be more familiar to many of you:
Jabari is the guy in the light blue shirt directly behind Gilad Shalit.

Labels: car swarm, Gaza, Hamas, Hamas rockets, IDF, Palestinian terrorism, Palestinian terrorists

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 5:14 PM