Tuesday, November 20, 2012

40+ rockets fired from Gaza at Israel today; IDF launches airstrike offensive in Gaza


(JPost) The IDF began intensive air strikes and shelling in the Gaza Strip Tuesday, in the seventh day of Operation Pillar of Defense. The strikes hit over 30 targets in the span of an hour and IAF planes dropped leaflets over northern Gaza warning residents to leave the area immediately.

At 2:20 PM, shortly after a rocket was fired into the Jerusalem area, the IDF began striking Gaza-based terror cell members. Airstrikes hit two Hamas members in northern Gaza. Shortly thereafter, the IDF destroyed 30 rocket launchers and a Hamas hideout used as a weapons storage facility.

Some 120 Palestinians, more than half of them civilians, have been killed since Wednesday. Three Israeli civilians were killed in a rocket attack last week.

The targets of Tuesday afternoon's strikes included rocket-launching cells preparing to launch projectiles into Israel. Another strike targeted members of the Army of Islam Salafi group, which took part in the Gilad Schalit kidnapping. Six people were killed in the air strike.

The IDF has often pointed to months of intelligence gathering that allowed it to launch pinpoint strikes against terrorists on the move, rocket-launching pads and weapons facilities.

Palestinians in the Strip on Tuesday shot dead six alleged collaborators in the Gaza Strip who "were caught red-handed," according to a security source quoted by the Hamas Aqsa radio.

"They possessed hi-tech equipment and filming equipment to take footage of positions," it said.

The Hamas radio said the men, who were suspected of working for Israel, were shot. It did not elaborate.

Palestinians fired over 100 rockets into Israel Tuesday afternoon, Israel Police reported.

The Iron Dome anti-rocket system intercepted over 35 rockets.