Navy vessel (archive photo)
Navy joins war on Qassams
For first time Wednesday, IDF vessels shell rocket launching sites in Gaza Strip
The navy has joined the IDF's war on rocket attacks from Gaza Wednesday, when for the first time vessels shelled Qassam rocket launching sites in the Strip.
In recent months the IDF has been directing artillery shells at areas in Gaza used by rocket launching cells, mostly in the northern part of the Strip, in a bid to deter terror cells from operating there.
In the course of these bombardments, which in some cases lasted hours at a time, dozens of shells were launched. The IDF has ensured the fire is very accurate and never aimed at populated areas, in order to refrain from hurting innocent Palestinian civilians.
Army sources noted that while the artillery attack sin Gaza do to some extent help deter and push bck terrorists, they represent only a part of the operations undertaken to counter the rocket threat.
In an effort to target additional regions in the Strip, army officials decided the navy should also join the fight against Qassams. Consequently, on Wednesday afternoon Dvora and Shaldag-type ships, which take part in routine security operations along the Strip's coast, fired shells at Qassam launching sites in the northern Strip, to complement ground operations.
5 Qassams fired at Israel
Earlier Wednesday, five Qassam rockets were fired at Israel. The Red Dawn alert system identified at least four rockets that fell in open areas in the western Negev.
Earlier a Qassam had fallen in Palestinian territory. No one was injured and no damages were reported
On Tuesday morning a Katyusha rocket was fired at Ashkelon from the northern Gaza Strip. The rocket landed south of the city, causing no injuries or damage. The incident marked the first time Palestinians fire Katyushas from the Gaza Strip. The al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad, claimed responsibility for the attack.
The group said the rocket was a Russian-made Grad and added it “waited until the enemy’s confirmation before claiming responsibility.”
