Despite reports of a possible Egyptian-brokered ‘truce-arrangement‘, Palestinian Islamists have continued to sporadically launch rockets from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip toward Israel’s southern communities. Following the intensive exchange of Palestinian rocket-fire from Gaza, and Israeli retaliatory air-raids over the course of Monday night and Tuesday morning, Egyptian officials sought to alleviate the situation from spiraling into an all-out-conflagration.
Initially, the efforts seemed to have beard fruit. While a tense calm prevailed yesterday afternoon, it did not reassure Israel’s security establishment, which – following a situation assessment that was led by the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – decided to deploy additional forces along the border with the Gaza Strip. The IDF Spokesperson’s unit released a written statement in which it noted that “The IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi ordered (the deployment) of an additional infantry brigade headquarters and an artillery battalion to the southern region.” In addition, Lieutenant General Kochavi approved a call-up of additional reserve soldiers – a decision usually exercised ahead of a wide-scale military operation.
Immediately after the Israeli situation assessment, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a broadcast address to the annual conference of AIPAC, during which he declared that Jerusalem is prepared to do what is necessary to defend its people and state. “Now I’m just coming from a meeting with our Chief of Staff and our senior command. And I can tell you, we are prepared to do a lot more. We will do what is necessary to defend our people and to defend our state,” Netanyahu said.
While Netanyahu was speaking to the powerful American pro-Israel lobby, Palestinian Islamists launched a rocket toward the Eshkol regional council. An Iron Dome anti-rocket defense system intercepted the missile, preventing any injuries or damage. Some three and a half hours after the rocket-attack, the Israeli Air Force targeted several Hamas installations in the southern part of the enclave. In a statement, the IDF said that its “fighter jets struck several terror targets in the southern Gaza Strip, including a Hamas military compound and a weapons manufacturing warehouse in Khan Yunis.” The IDF further underscored that it views “the Hamas terror organization” as solely responsible for all events transpiring in and from the Islamist infested strip, which is under Hamas control. Several minutes after the Israeli retaliation, however, another rocket was fired from the Gaza Strip towards the southern Ashkelon industrial zone. Once again, an Iron Dome anti-rocket defense system intercepted the missile, preventing any injuries or damage. A little less than four hours later, the IDF once again launched an aerial bombardment of Hamas targets in a southern district of the Palestinian enclave. Yet again, Palestinian Islamists fired a rocket toward the Ashkelon Industrial zone, which was also intercepted by an Iron Dome projectile. The repeated cycle of rocket-fire from the Gaza Strip toward Israel’s civilian communities transpired despite Israel’s adamant warning to the Islamist organizations. In a statement, the IDF stressed its determination “to fulfill its mission to defend Israeli civilians,” and underscored its preparedness “for various scenarios and will intensify its activity if necessary.”
Meanwhile in Gaza, Hamas and the its Iranian-backed ally the ‘Islamic Jihad’ — which are the two most powerful militant groups in the enclave —claim that the rockets launched towards Israel had not been fired with their permission. According to them, the responsible culprit is a small militant cell or rogue individual.
Furthermore, the two organizations – which are internationally recognized terror groups – threatened to respond forcefully against any Israeli retaliatory strike. They issued a threat, according to which any escalation in bombardments on Jerusalem’s part will be met with the intensification and expansion of their rocket-fire, and its reach into Israel.