Friday, September 17, 2010

IDF Confirms That Two Mortars Fired From Gaza Into Israel The Other Day Were Phosphorous Bombs


Okay, the thought of Hamas and/or Islamic Jihad and/or al Qaeda in Gaza having phosphorous bombs to mortar into Israel paints a whole new threat to the Israelis and the civilians close to that Gaza border - today, the IDF did confirm that two of the nine mortar shells fired into southern Israel from Gaza were indeed phosphorous bombs.

From the article at Haaretz:



Two of the nine mortar shells fired from the Gaza Strip at southern Israel on Tuesday were actually phosphorous bombs, the Israel Defense Forces confirmed.

Militants in the coastal territory also fired two Qassam rockets into Israel, yielding an Israel Air Force strike in response that led to the death of one Palestinian working in a smuggling tunnel on the border with Egypt.

One of the rockets fired from Gaza exploded in an open area in the industrial zone just south of Ashkelon. There were no injuries or property damage. The nine mortar shells struck an open area in the Eshkol region near the Gaza Strip.
Unfortunately, for Israel, what this all means is new levels of sophistication coming to the weaponry of the jihadis in Gaza - the Israelis have well-documented the upgrading of weapons in the hands of Hezbollah but we are now seeing more dangerous and far-reaching stuff worming its way into Gaza.

I said it during Operation Cast Lead - that Israel should push Hamas to the sea and simply reaquire the area and gut it - send the Palestinians packing to the likes of Egypt or Jordan and simply secure the whole Gaza Strip.

But now, of course, the terrorists are rearming and have found themselves some pretty nasty stuff like phosphorous bombs. Not good. Really not good.




IDF confirms Gaza militants fired phosphorous bombs at Israel


Two of the nine mortar shells fired from the Gaza Strip at southern Israel on Tuesday were actually phosphorous bombs, the Israel Defense Forces confirmed.

Militants in the coastal territory also fired two Qassam rockets into Israel, yielding an Israel Air Force strike in response that led to the death of one Palestinian working in a smuggling tunnel on the border with Egypt.

One of the rockets fired from Gaza exploded in an open area in the industrial zone just south of Ashkelon. There were no injuries or property damage. The nine mortar shells struck an open area in the Eshkol region near the Gaza Strip.

Hours later, eyewitnesses in the southern Gaza town of Rafah said the Israeli air strike killed a tunnel worker and wounded two other people. The Israeli army confirmed the attack.

There was also a fear of renewed violence across the border in Jordan, with the U.S. embassy in the country warning of a high chance of terror attacks in the Red Sea city of Aqaba over the coming 48 hours.

The increased attacks from Gaza were apparently made in attempt to scupper Middle East peace talks. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was hosting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at his official residence in Jerusalem on Wednesday, a day after meeting in Egypt to continue the direct peace talks that began earlier this month.

Hamas, which control the Gaza strip, have condemned the talks and early this month timed a pair of West Bank shooting attacks to coincide with the opening of negotiations in Washington, killing four Israelis and wounding two.

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