IDF on Alert for Missile Attacks from North and South

The IDF is on alert as missile attacks from the north and south occurred over the past few days as well as a stone-throwing riot, a Molotov cocktail and a bus bombing near Tel Aviv.

“A mortar shell fired from Syria exploded Monday morning in the Israeli Golan Heights,” Israel National News(INN) reported. “The shell blew up in empty territory, causing no casualties or damage.

“An initial check indicates that the shell was not fired at Israel intentionally, but is part of the unintended ‘spillover’ from the Syrian civil war.”

Also, INN posted, “A Molotov cocktail was thrown at an Israeli vehicle, Monday, next to the Shomron (Samarian) Jewish community of Yitzhar. No injuries or damage were reported. Israeli soldiers were sent to search the scene.”

In the south, INN reported, “the remains of a Kassam short-range terror rocket fired by Hamas Sunday night were located by police sappers early Monday morning. The rocket had exploded next to a transport station in a community in the Hof Ashkelon region, south of the port city of Ashkelon. No one was hurt.”

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) website confirmed that a “bomb hidden in a bag exploded on a bus in Bat Yam [near Tel Aviv] after passengers were evacuated from the vehicle. Hamas and Islamic Jihad ‘welcomed’ the terror attack.”

“A passenger alerted the driver about a suspicious bag located behind the back door of the bus,” a spokesperson for the Dan bus company told the MFA. “The driver stopped the bus and examined the bag. He saw electrical wires attached to the bag and ordered all passengers off the bus, leaving after them. He then called police sappers.”

“Within minutes there was a powerful blast, blowing out most of the windows of the bus,” the site affirmed.

“After examining the explosives retrieved from the scene, we have concluded that this was a terrorist attack,” police spokesperson Micky Rosenfeld said.

“On Friday morning, a group of approximately 100 Palestinians started a riot in northern Gaza, throwing stones at IDF troops stationed on the border,” said the official IDF blog. “The incident escalated when a group of protesters tried to break through security fence and enter Israeli territory. The soldiers tried to contain these violent acts by calling on the Palestinians to stop, but to no avail, and in accordance with the incident used live fire. Several hits were identified.”

Also on Friday morning, “terrorists triggered several incidents at various points along the border with Gaza. In addition, a rocket launched from the Gaza Strip landed in the Shaar HaNegev region.”

On Saturday morning, “another group of terrorists attempted to breach the Gaza security fence,” the blog continued. “IDF forces caught a terrorist cell red-handed as they were trying to hide an explosive device on the security fence south of the Strip. The goal was to attack the IDF patrols operating in the area. In an attempt to prevent the suspects from fulfilling their mission, the soldiers ordered them to stop, and, as a warning, fired into the air. After the terrorist ignored the warning, IDF forces opened fire towards the legs of one of the suspects.”

No injuries were reported.

IDF ON ALERT

“These incidents show us that even if the area seems quiet, as long as Hamas continues to govern Gaza, it is just a matter of time until they attempt once again to increase friction in the region,” said an IDF spokesperson.

“The IDF operates and will continue to operate along the border fence to prevent any infiltration into Israel’s sovereign territory. If not for our presence and determination to contain these incidents, the Israeli civilian population would be exposed to innumerable terrorist attacks from Gaza.”

“This course of events is a reminder of the constant challenges IDF forces face in order to keep the border quiet, the security fence intact and to safeguard the civilians of the State of Israel,” said Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, IDF spokesperson to foreign media. “The IDF will continue to operate professionally to overcome the threats challenging lives of Israelis and our soldiers in the south of Israel.”

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Author: United with Israel Staff
Date: Dec. 23, 2013

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