Operation Pillar of Defense (Day Four)

Missiles fired from Egypt have landed in Israel. There was a report a few days ago that a rocket might have come out of the Sinai, but it was unconfirmed. In this attack there were reports from two different sources. It still does not appear that Egypt is interested in getting involved, but they are either unable or unwilling to stop Hamas from using the Sinai as a launching pad. Retaliations from Israel at strike teams in Egypt could escalate the situation fast; especially if the terrorists are also members of the Egyptian military.

http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/report-rockets-fired-egypt-hit-israel_663502.html

"Two major Israeli newspapers are reporting that rockets fired from Egypt have hit Israel.

"Terrorists in the Sinai Peninsula launched rockets into Israel Friday night," reports the Jerusalem Post. "The rockets fell near an Israeli village on the southern border, causing some damage, but no injuries."

The Israeli daily Haaretz reports, "Rockets fired from direction of Egypt toward Eshkol Regional Council.""

Rockets continue being launched at Tel Aviv. Israel has reportedly moved an upgraded Iron Dome system into position to defend against the continued bombardment.

Video embedded below.



"The Iron Dome intercepted two Iranian-made Fajr-5 missiles aimed at Tel Aviv on Saturday. The missiles marked the third attack on the heavily populated central city in as many days, after Palestinian terrorists from Gaza fired four missiles toward the financial capital on Thursday and Friday, prompting red alert air raid sirens to sound in the city.
...
The Defense Ministry deployed an upgraded Iron Dome battery in the Gush Dan area in the center of Israel on Saturday morning, after rushing its production in light of escalation. The battery is the fifth Iron Dome system operational in Israel."

Israel has continued to launch strikes into Gaza targeting Hamas' depots and launch pads.

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"Israel bombarded the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip with nearly 200 airstrikes early Saturday, the military said, widening a blistering assault on Gaza rocket operations to include the prime minister's headquarters, a police compound and a vast network of smuggling tunnels.

The Israeli military said its "Iron Dome" rocket-defense system shot down an incoming projectile bound for Tel Aviv.

Footage from Associated Press Television News shows a plume of smoke emanating from an Iron Dome battery deployed in Tel Aviv followed by a flash of light overhead as the rocket is intercepted. People huddled along Tel Aviv's beachfront boardwalk cheered Saturday as the interception took place."

Al Arabiya reports that Israel also leveled Hamas' Cabinet building.

http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/11/17/250100.html

"Israeli air strikes killed 10 Palestinians and destroyed the Hamas government building on Saturday as the Jewish state called up thousands more reservists for a possible ground war.

“The cabinet headquarters was targeted with four strikes and the government stresses that it remains committed to its positions and its stand alongside the people,” the Hamas government said in a statement.

Eyewitnesses and Hamas officials said the building located in the Nasser neighborhood of Gaza City was virtually leveled in the strike."

The online hacker group 'Anonymous' has taken up virtual arms against Israel, siding with Hamas, and has had a number of declared successful digital strikes.

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2012/11/anonymous-online-hacker-group-sides-with-hamas-takes-down-550-israeli-websites

"Anonymous, the online hacker group, sided with Hamas this week and declared war on Israel. The radical leftist group bragged today that they brought down over 550 Israeli websites and leaked email addresses and passwords.

The Next Web reported:

When the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) this week began taking military action in the Gaza strip against Hamas (as the IDF announced on Twitter), Anonymous declared its own war as part of #OpIsrael. Among the casualties are thousands of email addresses and passwords, hundreds of Israeli web sites, government-owned as well as privately owned pages, as well as databases belonging to the Bank of Jerusalem and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs."

If you live near Gaza, you have 15 seconds to reach shelter before the rockets hit.

Video embedded below.



Ten year old Romie puts a human face to this ever present fear of the sirens, and the bigger fear that the sirens might not even go off in time.

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This clip shows some of the difficulty Israel faces stopping the rockets. While it was uploaded to Youtube today, it is impossible for me to confirm when this 'pop-up' rocket was actually fired.

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Crowder adds some context.

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The IDF has released this recap of day four.

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Al-Jazeera is reporting the current death toll at 40-45 Palestinians, 13 of which were civilians, and three Israeli civilians.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2012/11/2012111743731924984.html

"Israel and Palestinian fighters have traded air strikes and rockets for a fourth day, with Israel hitting the Hamas prime minister's office and also downing a rocket aimed at Tel Aviv.

The death toll from the conflict climbed on Saturday to 45: 40 Palestinians, at least 13 of them civilians, including women and children, and three Israeli civilians.
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The rocket - the third aimed at Tel Aviv in three days - came as Israel's Operation Pillar of Defence showed no sign of letting up, with the Israeli air force bombing targets in the Gaza Strip.

By early evening Israel had struck about 950 Gaza sites since Wednesday - a period during which more than 400 Palestinian missiles have also hit Israel.

An additional 240 rockets were intercepted and destroyed by Iron Dome, the Israeli military said.

A late Friday night meeting of the Israeli cabinet called on 75,000 Israeli reservists in the event of a ground incursion into the Gaza Strip."

Past Posts on Operation Pillar of Defense (from first to last):
Berman Post: Israel Launches Operation "Pillar of Defense" (Pillar of Cloud)
Berman Post: Operation Pillar of Defense (Day Two)
Berman Post: Operation Pillar of Defense (Day Three)