"If the Qassam fire from Gaza continues, we will step up our operations and increase the strikes against the Palestinian side," Defense Minister Ehud Barak said during a visit to the Tze'elim army base in the south Thursday.
Barak said that military operations, coupled with the fortifying of residents' houses, would resolve the problem of Qassams.
According to the defense minister, "The operational activity brings results. This will not end today or tomorrow, but the combination of military operations and the sanctions on the Strip, along with the anticipated fortification of some of the communities, will eventually bring an end to Qassam attacks."
The IDF operated in the northern Gaza Strip Thursday morning, killing several gunmen. However, the rocket fire at Sderot and the western Negev was resumed shortly after. "Our activity has an accumulated effect and shouldn't be judged by the number of rockets alone," a military official explained.
"Every military operation in Qassam launching areas puts pressure on the rocket cells and shows them that their activity comes with a price. This shouldn't be taken lightly," he added.
'Operations to continue'
According to the official, the Qassam fire would stop only if the other side decides that continuing the fighting "wasn't worth it."
"The IDF operates intensively from the ground and air… within the limitations placed by the political echelon… for now, the ground forces, in cooperation with the air force, manage to achieve good results, hit many gunmen and make the other side consider whether it is even worth it to keep fighting."
Meanwhile, Southern Command sources stressed that operations like the one carried out on Thursday are expected to continue in the entire Gaza area. "We will operate near the border fence in a bid to prevent terror attacks against our forces and against Israeli communities. Otherwise we might find ourselves dealing with these threats inside Israel," a source in the Command said.