IDF hits mobile Qassam launcher

One Palestinian was killed and several others were hurt, including one who sustained critical wounds, after the Air Force fired missiles at two vehicles carrying Islamic Jihad members in the Gaza Strip Thursday morning.

Several hours after the strike it turned out that the IDF was able to hit a vehicle modified by the Palestinians in order to be used as a mobile Qassam rocket launcher. A military source told Ynet the Palestinians used the vehicle to fire rockets from the northern Gaza Strip to Israel before making their quick getaway.

The vehicle allowed the Palestinians to fire rockets while in the car. Terrorists would arrive at an open area, fire the rocket, and escape back into area villages. Thursday's strike marks the first time the army was able to hit such mobile launcher.

"Terror organizations are undertaking a great effort in order to improve their modus operandi, but the attack today proves the IDF monitors terror groups and will hit any device threatening Israeli citizens, "the military source said.

Earlier, IDF officials confirmed the Air Force carried out two strikes in the Gaza Strip, one on the coastal road near the former settlement of Netzarim, and the other own in Dir al-Balah.

Four missiles were fired at one vehicle in two separate sorties, Palestinian sources said.

Sources in Gaza said one missile was fired at the car initially and wounded one person. However, as the vehicle was fleeing, three more missiles were fired, killing one man who apparently belongs to the Islamic Jihad.

Vehicle explodes

The army said it attacked vehicles carrying terrorists on the way to carrying out an attack. The targeted vehicle exploded because it apparently contained weapons.

The Palestinians targeted for assassination were apparently involved in Qassam rocket attacks at Israeli targets. Recently, the Air Force boosted its operations in the Gaza Strip as a result of a new policy introduced by IDF Southern Command Head Yoav Galant. The policy stresses the targeting of terror cells in real time, as they prepare for attacks.

The IDF has changed its operational patterns in Gaza starting in March of this year and has introduced growing cooperation between artillery forces, the Navy, and the Air Force, which has been operating quickly to identify terror cells, confirm their intentions, and prepare for a strike.

Since the IDF left the Strip, more than 100 terrorists were killed by the army, with almost half of them targeted by the Air Force.