SLEEPLESS SABBATH OVER THE SKY’S OF ISRAEL
Updates from Israel courtesy of Marc Kahlberg, Founder and Owner of MK International Security Consulting:
The Israel Air Force confirmed that they have surgically removed 85 terror targets in the Gaza Strip overnight Friday, putting a stop to the quiet usually heard in Israel over the Jewish Sabbath.
The “Code Red” early warning rocket alarm system is almost continuous in multiple communities throughout the South of Israel and many Israeli’s have opted to either move north or simply stay in sheltered areas.
Over and above the roar of Israeli air force jets throughout Friday night, the “Code Red” early warning rocket alarm system is fast becoming familiar in larger cities as far as Tel Aviv, Rishon Le Zion and Jerusalem.
An early Saturday morning barrage of Kassam rockets were fired at Sderot from the Gaza Strip Saturday morning, creating more trauma for those who are unfortunately already used to the terror attacks against them.
“Code Red” early warning rocket alarm system was sounded early Saturday morning in Beersheba jolting the city with extremely loud blasts and prompting a call from my eldest son who lives in the area; telling me that it was too close for comfort. Like others in the area he refuses to leave his home saying that this would amount to “giving in to Palestinian terror”.
Hamas deputy leader Abu Marzouq on Friday rejected the possibility of a ceasefire with Israel, according to Palestinian news agency Ma’an, saying “there are many calls for a truce but it will not be soon.” Terrorists in the Sinai Peninsula also launched rockets into Israel Friday night. The rockets fell near an Israeli village on the southern border, causing some damage, but no injuries.
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri confirmed to the Palestinian news agency Ma’an Friday that the terror group had dismissed overtures from “several mediators” offering to broker an end to hostilities. Referring to the new Egyptian government, Yousef said that “The rules of the game have changed now. Things are different.”
Meanwhile, US President Barack Obama called Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi on Friday to commend the country’s efforts to help calm the situation in Israel and Gaza and underscored his hope of restoring stability there, the White House said. Egyptian Prime Minister Hisham Kandil, on a brief visit to the Gaza Strip on Friday, denounced Israel’s attacks on the Palestinian territory as aggression.
President Obama’s words where drowned and somewhat contradicted earlier Friday when Egyptian Prime Minister Hesham Kandil visited the Gaza Strip; (And despite Israel having agreed to a ceasefire during Kandil’s approximately three hour visit, dozens of Palestinian rockets rained down on the South of Israel while the Egyptian prime minister was still in Gaza) –
The Egyptian President Morsi then went on national Egyptian TV while visiting a Mosque in Cairo and warned Israel that “Israel would pay dearly and Egypt would not accept the Israeli aggression”: What he seemed to forget to say was that the Muslim Brotherhood of which he and his government lead in Egypt are funding and supporting the Hamas who are in fact an offspring of the Muslim Brotherhood. He also conveniently seemed to miss the fact that only this year over 1200 terror attacks have been launched at Israel from Gaza.
The Israeli cabinet approved Defense Minister Ehud Barak’s request for 75,000 reserve troops in preparation for a possible ground operation in Gaza.
The IDF said on Friday it was closing to civilian traffic three roads that lead to, or border the Gaza Strip, in an indication of a probable military build-up in the area.
In reports from several Israeli media sources, government officials have made it clear that this defensive Israeli mission should be a clear cut message to the Hezbollah and rebels in Syria that Israel will not tolerate any further aggression against Israeli civilians.
The Hamas has systematically fired over 12,000 rockets and missiles at the soft underbelly of Israeli citizens for the past 12 years and Israel’s patience has now worn thin. It should also be noted that the Muslim Brotherhood backed Hamas is also now supported by Iran and the Fajr -5 long range missile which is being fired towards Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. This shows Iran’s intentions of provoking Israel and placing over 3.5 million Israeli’s at risk.
As I write this post there are Code Red sirens in several Israeli cities and towns and Israeli air force activity heard overhead.
The Hamas terror leader Ismael Hania in Gaza has also announced that the IDF bombing of the Hamas headquarters overnight will ” spark a response not seen in Israel before and the Hamas is stronger than ever”.
In a report just released by the IDF it has become clear that Iran has established a front line base in Gaza using the Hamas and other Islamic terror groups as they use the Hezbollah in Lebanon and perhaps the rebel troops that are close to Israel’s border with Syria.
The IDF has said that that they are determined to continue targeting sites that are used to carry out terror attacks against Israeli citizens.
As commendation and praise should be extended to the IDF and Israeli government for a brilliant intelligence motivated operation which has enabled the IDF to surgically pin point and target only terror related facilities and sites, many Israeli’s are hoping that this will not be “cosmetic” surgery but surgery that will put an end to the terror for years to come.
SURGICAL STRIKES – COSMETIC SOLUTION??
In an un-thought-of Muslim Brotherhood scenario, the Egyptian leader, Morsi has found himself brokering a peace deal between the terror faction of the Brotherhood, Hamas.
This comes as Red alert warning sirens signaling rocket attacks sounded in the Sdot Negev and Sha’ar Hanegev Regional Council areas of Israel on Sunday morning.
It was not immediately clear where the rockets fell. No injuries or damage have been reported.
The sirens, which rang out just after 7:00 a.m. on Sunday morning marked the first rocket activity since just after midnight.
While people all over the world are now protesting Israel’s decision to defend itself there is little or no reporting of the genocide that is taking place in Syria. Over 180 people were killed in Syria Saturday and the death toll there stands at over 35,000 with another 25, 000 missing and tens of thousands living in tents in other countries.
The IDF has struck more than 1,000 terror targets in the Gaza Strip since Operation Pillar of Defense began on Wednesday, air strikes and attacks from naval gunships continued overnight Saturday, with Israeli forces hitting dozens of targets reducing greatly the terrorists capabilities to fire at Israel.
All of this with minimum civilian casualties in the densely populated Gaza Strip where terror groups fire from homes, outside schools and hospitals and from areas surrounding foreign journalists hotels.
In a familiar round of not only “ping pong” tactics by the terrorists in Gaza and the IDF, only on a much larger scale, there is also a new round of “ping pong” political tactics going on between Israel and the United States President.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu assured US President Barack Obama on Friday that he does not plan to launch a ground operation in the Gaza Strip unless Hamas escalates its rocket war, an America publication reported Saturday, citing two US officials briefed on the call.
The Israeli leadership at this point is leaning against a ground invasion which is politically clever but tactically a disaster all over again. With the Israeli elections scheduled for January, there is no doubt that political maneuvering is now the priority with Israel’s southern region only a distant second priority.
While no Israeli’s want a ground offensive into Gaza which will surely put lives at risk and escalate the casualties on both sides, Israeli’s feel that once again the “job” of thwarting the terror organizations capabilities and abilities to fire at will against Israeli soft targets is not complete and in only a matter of months the attacks will continue.
On another note Netanyahu has refused to give assurances that Israel would not unilaterally attack the Islamic Republic of Iran and the “softening up” of the Hamas, who have of late been the recipients of Iranian military generosity in the form of financial aid and long range missiles threatening Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, may be the first phase of a more complicated plan of action against an Iran, who is close to having a nuclear weapons capability which will be used against Israel as are their missiles.
In other related news that is not being openly reported globally, gunfire was directed at an IDF force near the border fence with Syria on Saturday night.
An IDF vehicle was damaged by bullets and an IDF artillery battery opened fire at the source of the fire. It seems that the fire may be deliberate and an attempt at “testing” the IDF reaction.
There are also reports that Hezbollah fighters have been seen training and carrying out maneuvers near a very sensitive Syrian chemical weapons depot which if correct must indeed provoke serious concern for the Israeli decision makers.
