The Israeli military is prepared to continue with its strikes on Hamas and other terror groups in the Gaza Strip for several days and has called up 7,000 reservists as rocket barrages continue to pound central and southern Israel.
The effects of Hamas rockets falling over Israel is felt all the way in New York City, as pro-Hamas and pro-Israeli demonstrators are clashing as violence erupts. Scuffles broke out outside the Israeli consulate in Manhattan yesterday evening as hundreds gathered to protest deadly attacks in Gaza and Tel Aviv that have killed at least 55 people, including children. In Israel, the IDF is presenting plans to Benjamin Netanyahu for a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip to stop the deadly Hamas rocket barrages.
"Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail: for now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to Babylon; there shalt thou be delivered; there the LORD shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies." Micah 4:10 (KJB)
What is happening now is perhaps the most violence against Israel in many decades, certainly the most rockets that Hamas has ever launched against the sovereign Jewish state. The Ben Gurion airport is now closed to incoming flights, and Israel is hunkering down down in bomb shelters and military boardrooms as things move ever closer to all out war. Worse than that, the Israeli Arabs and the Israeli Jews currently fighting each other from house to house points towards possible civil war.
IDF calls up reservists as Hamas terror rockets continue to pound Tel Aviv in Israel
FROM THE JERUSALEM POST: Hamas launched suicide drones laden with explosives into Israel on Thursday. At least two exploded in the air somewhere in central Israel. The drone attacks were preceded by the firing of 20-30 long-range rockets at central Israel, including Tel Aviv, and as far south as Eilat. Four people were injured.
A total of 1,600 rockets have been fired towards Israel since Monday, a third of them have fallen inside the Gaza Strip. The attacks came as the IDF called up reservists serving in artillery, Iron Dome batteries, doctors, paramedics, IAF, intelligence and other combat units. Another Iron Dome battery was also added to those placed around the country.
Hamas operatives fired large fusillades of rockets at the Tel Aviv area and Beersheba and toward Eilat’s airport on Thursday afternoon, in what the terror group said was an act of revenge for its commanders who were killed in Israeli strikes this week. Dozens of rockets were fired in the attacks, which triggered sirens throughout central Israel and the northern Negev desert. source
Combat troops will also not be able to leave their bases and additional ground troops have been redeployed to the border ahead of a possible ground operation, including from the Paratroopers Brigade, Golani Infantry Brigade and 7th Armored Brigade. IDF Spokesperson Brig.-Gen. Hidai Zilberman said that options remain on the table including a ground invasion. The plans will be presented to IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kohavi and then to the Cabinet for approval later on Thursday. Speaking to reporters IDF Spokesperson Brig.-Gen. Hidai Zilberman said that the plans are being put together by the Gaza Division and Southern Command and will be then given to Israel’s political echelon for approval.
After a large barrage of rockets towards central and southern Israel on Thursday afternoon, Abu-Ubaida, spokesman of Hamas's military wing the Izzadin al-Qassam Brigades, claimed that Hamas was launching rockets towards Ramon Airport with the 250 Ayyash rocket which he claimed is a strong rocket with a range greater than 250 km. After the barrage, the Hevel Eilot Regional Council, located in the southern Negev, announced that a rocket had fallen in the regional council. No injuries were reported.
The Al-Qassam spokesman warned international airlines to immediately halt all flights to Israel.
Abu-Ubaida called the barrage "a victory for Al-Aqsa and part of our response to the assassination of our heroic leaders and engineers." A number of direct hits were reported in the barrage, including in Tel Aviv.
The barrage came as the IDF continues to hit government targets and banks as well senior leaders in the terror organization. On Thursday morning, the IDF struck at least five terrorist cells that were preparing to launch anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM's) towards Israel.
“The organization is losing everything,” Zilberman told reporters on Thursday morning. "Tonight we started destroying government targets in the Gaza Strip, such as central banks and internal security buildings. Hamas is beginning to discover cracks and there is pressure in the organization, even among the Gaza public who is losing its patience and sees these ruins on the eve of the holiday [of Eid al-Fitr]," he said.
Over 650 targets belonging to Hamas have been struck since the beginning of Operation Guardian of the Walls, such as those belonging to their police, Interior Ministry, banks, homes of commanders including that of the battalion commander of Khan Younis, a naval commando unit and a defensive tunnel inside a school. Three high-rise buildings were also destroyed by Israel Air Force airstrikes and some 60 Hamas operatives have been killed, including 10 senior commanders.
Palestinian media reported on Thursday that at least 83 people have been killed in the IDF strikes, including 17 children, and that more than 487 have been wounded. Israel says that some were killed by rockets that misfired and fell inside Gaza. According to Zilberman, all options remain on the table and additional ground troops have been redeployed to the border ahead of a possible ground operation, including from the Paratroopers Brigade, Golani Infantry Brigade and 7th Armored Brigade.
On Thursday afternoon, Abu Ubaida claimed that Hamas has launched "massive rocket strikes" larger than any launched on Israel since the 1948 War of Independence.
"The decision to bomb Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Dimona, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Beersheba and closer and further than it, is easier for us than drinking water," added Abu-Ubaida. The Al-Qassam spokesperson dared Israel to "mobilize whatever forces you want from land, sea and air," warning that the terrorist group has "prepared for you varieties of death."
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