From Homeland Security NewsWire:
Mideast updateA first: anti-rocket system shoots down two Hamas rockets
Published 8 April 2011
Tensions between Israel and Hamas escalate, leading to fears of a wider war; Israel has intensified its campaign against Hamas operatives: it had kidnapped Hamas' chief rocket designer while he was visiting the Ukraine, and earlier this week Israeli special forces killed two Hamas operatives in Sudan; they were in Sudan to arrange the transfer of chemical weapons -- bought by Iran from the anti-Gaddafi rebels -- to Hamas and Hezbollah; earlier today Hamas tried to kill 30 Israeli school children by targeting their bus with the advanced Kornet anti-tank rocket; at the same time, Hamas fired rocket at an Israeli town, but the rockets were intercepted by the newly deployed Iron Dome anti-rocket defense system
Iron Dome meets with success // Source: sanfranciscosentinel.com
Tensions between Israel and Hamas are growing, leading to speculations that Israel may take a more comprehensive military action against Hamas and its military infrastructure in the Gaza Strip — more comprehensive, that is, than pin-point retaliation to Hamas provocations.
Here are the latest developments:
•In a move that made military history, the newly deployed Iron Dome rocket defense has shot down two Hamas rockets launched against an Israeli city. Fox News reports that Israel’s defense minister said the military has activated a new missile-defense system for the first time, and officials believe it successfully shot down an incoming Palestinian rocket. Ehud Barak said the Iron Dome fired at a rocket launched from Gaza. He said it appeared to have scored a direct hit, though officials were still waiting for final confirmation. The Israel-developed Iron Dome system has raised hopes in Israel that the army can find a solution to halt years of Palestinian rocket fire. Israel deployed the first Iron Dome battery just a few weeks ago as tensions with Gaza militants were rising. Officials have warned the technology is young, and the system will not fully protect Israeli cities.
•In what military analysts see as a clear escalation, Hamas fired an advanced Russian Kornet anti-tank missile against a school bus on the Israeli side of the border. Two youngsters were wounded, one of them critically. The Kornet missiles are regarded as the most advanced anti-tank weapon currently available. Russia has sold thousands of them to Syria which, in turn, supplied them to Hezbollah and Hamas. Intelligence information confirmed that the Hamas militants specifically targeted the school bus, hoping to kill to thirty students who were in it at the time of the attack.
•Hamas may have felt pressure to retaliate after a series of Israeli covert actions against the organization’s operatives: ◦Two-and-half months ago, Mossad agents kidnapped Dirar Abu Sisi while he was visiting the Ukraine. Israel kept his kidnapping a secret, but a week ago announced he was in Israeli prison, waiting trial. Sisi, an engineer by training, is one of the chief rocket engineers of Hamas, and Israel will charge him with being responsible for several civilian deaths in Israel which were the result of rocket attacks from Gaza.
◦Earlier in the week, Israeli special forces killed two Hamas operatives in Sudan. The operatives were arranging the transfer of hundreds of nerve and mustard gas munitions to Hamas and Hezbollah. Iran had bought the WMDs from Libyan anti-Gaddafi rebels.
◦Israel recently intercepted a container ship in the Mediterranean Sea containing tons of Iranian weapons it said was destined for Gaza.
•Within minutes of the attack Israeli jets pounded a number of a Gaza Strip targets, attacks that resulted in civilian casualties. One series of air strikes and tank fire against Hamas targets across the border killed five people and wounded thirty-one others, including four critically, said Palestinian health official Adham Abu Salmiya. Yesterday a pregnant Palestinian woman was injured during an IDF attack.
Haartez reports that senior Israeli defense officials have concluded that Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh has no control over the situation and the head of the group’s military wing, Ahmed Jabari, does not take his views into account when deciding military operations against Israel.
Mideast updateA first: anti-rocket system shoots down two Hamas rockets
Published 8 April 2011
Tensions between Israel and Hamas escalate, leading to fears of a wider war; Israel has intensified its campaign against Hamas operatives: it had kidnapped Hamas' chief rocket designer while he was visiting the Ukraine, and earlier this week Israeli special forces killed two Hamas operatives in Sudan; they were in Sudan to arrange the transfer of chemical weapons -- bought by Iran from the anti-Gaddafi rebels -- to Hamas and Hezbollah; earlier today Hamas tried to kill 30 Israeli school children by targeting their bus with the advanced Kornet anti-tank rocket; at the same time, Hamas fired rocket at an Israeli town, but the rockets were intercepted by the newly deployed Iron Dome anti-rocket defense system
Iron Dome meets with success // Source: sanfranciscosentinel.com
Tensions between Israel and Hamas are growing, leading to speculations that Israel may take a more comprehensive military action against Hamas and its military infrastructure in the Gaza Strip — more comprehensive, that is, than pin-point retaliation to Hamas provocations.
Here are the latest developments:
•In a move that made military history, the newly deployed Iron Dome rocket defense has shot down two Hamas rockets launched against an Israeli city. Fox News reports that Israel’s defense minister said the military has activated a new missile-defense system for the first time, and officials believe it successfully shot down an incoming Palestinian rocket. Ehud Barak said the Iron Dome fired at a rocket launched from Gaza. He said it appeared to have scored a direct hit, though officials were still waiting for final confirmation. The Israel-developed Iron Dome system has raised hopes in Israel that the army can find a solution to halt years of Palestinian rocket fire. Israel deployed the first Iron Dome battery just a few weeks ago as tensions with Gaza militants were rising. Officials have warned the technology is young, and the system will not fully protect Israeli cities.
•In what military analysts see as a clear escalation, Hamas fired an advanced Russian Kornet anti-tank missile against a school bus on the Israeli side of the border. Two youngsters were wounded, one of them critically. The Kornet missiles are regarded as the most advanced anti-tank weapon currently available. Russia has sold thousands of them to Syria which, in turn, supplied them to Hezbollah and Hamas. Intelligence information confirmed that the Hamas militants specifically targeted the school bus, hoping to kill to thirty students who were in it at the time of the attack.
•Hamas may have felt pressure to retaliate after a series of Israeli covert actions against the organization’s operatives: ◦Two-and-half months ago, Mossad agents kidnapped Dirar Abu Sisi while he was visiting the Ukraine. Israel kept his kidnapping a secret, but a week ago announced he was in Israeli prison, waiting trial. Sisi, an engineer by training, is one of the chief rocket engineers of Hamas, and Israel will charge him with being responsible for several civilian deaths in Israel which were the result of rocket attacks from Gaza.
◦Earlier in the week, Israeli special forces killed two Hamas operatives in Sudan. The operatives were arranging the transfer of hundreds of nerve and mustard gas munitions to Hamas and Hezbollah. Iran had bought the WMDs from Libyan anti-Gaddafi rebels.
◦Israel recently intercepted a container ship in the Mediterranean Sea containing tons of Iranian weapons it said was destined for Gaza.
•Within minutes of the attack Israeli jets pounded a number of a Gaza Strip targets, attacks that resulted in civilian casualties. One series of air strikes and tank fire against Hamas targets across the border killed five people and wounded thirty-one others, including four critically, said Palestinian health official Adham Abu Salmiya. Yesterday a pregnant Palestinian woman was injured during an IDF attack.
Haartez reports that senior Israeli defense officials have concluded that Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh has no control over the situation and the head of the group’s military wing, Ahmed Jabari, does not take his views into account when deciding military operations against Israel.
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