Response to the firing of two intercepted rockets: Targeted thwarting of a terrorist near the launcher

June 29, 2014   

The escalation in the south continues: After yesterday's shooting at Sderot, which led to a direct hit on a factory in the industrial area and the burning of two factories, two rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip toward Israel this evening (Sunday), and an alarm was sounded in Netivot and the Sdot Negev Regional Council.

The rockets - apparently Grad type - were intercepted by the Iron Dome system. One of them was intercepted over Netivot.

Shortly afterwards, an IAF aircraft attacked a cell preparing to fire rockets. According to a Palestinian report, the strike in the Khan Yunis area killed Muhammad Zayed Obeid, a terrorist in the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas. Three other terrorists were wounded - one of them seriously. The rocket fire from Gaza has not stopped for several days. About two days ago, seven rockets were fired at southern communities. The Iron Dome intercepted two of them, which were fired towards the Ashkelon Coast Regional Council. Two exploded in open areas, and one exploded near the perimeter fence in the southern Gaza Strip.

Defense Minister Ya'alon said this morning: "We will not tolerate the attempts of the terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip to disrupt the daily lives of the residents of the south, and as we have done in recent days, we will continue to act with a strong and aggressive hand against the terrorist elements who fire at Israel, and we will deal them a painful blow.".