Targeted killing in Gaza (Archive)
Photo: Reuters
Rafah: 2 Palestinians killed in IDF strike
Air Force fires missile at vehicle carrying Tanzim operatives. Two killed, three others injured. IDF says "operations from the air or ground will continue, and even increase if necessary'
Palestinian sources in the Gaza Strip reported Saturday that two Palestinian were killed and three others were injured after the Israeli Air Force fired a missile at the vehicle they were driving in the Rafah area. according to the army, the men in the car were Tanzim operatives involved in the launching of several terror attacks recently.
Earlier, Palestinian sources in northern Gaza reported that an IDF aircraft fired a missile at a rocket launcher south of the town of Beit Hanoun. No injuries were reported in the incident. The IDF said that an attempt was made to target a Palestinian who was spotted handling a Qassam launcher in Beit Hanoun. The army claimed that the launcher was used to fire the rocket at Sderot earlier Saturday.
The IDF stressed that the operations in the Gaza Strip against terror organizations will continue. "We have no intention of easing the pressure exerted on the terror organizations," a Southern Command official said. "The various activities from the air and the ground will go on and even increase if necessary. We do not chase after every Qassam, but can operate against those involved in this field, as well as in other fields of terror activity," he added.
At the same time, the IDF is preparing for the possibility of an extended operation in the Gaza Strip in the future, in a bid to respond to the gaining of strength of terror groups that receive weapons through the Phildalehpi route. The army reported that some 215 terrorists were killed and 450 were injured in the Strip since the intensive operations were launched in the area, after the kidnapping of Gilad Shalit.
Ali Waked contributed to the report
