Qassam attack on Israel, once again
IDF responds with artillery to rocket and mortar shell attack on southern Israel; house lightly damaged in southern community near Gaza Strip
One rocket landed at an Israeli town close to the southern Gaza border, falling in a field near the fence. The IDF chose not to respond.
In addition, a mortar shell landed in
an Israeli town north of Gaza, causing light damage to a house.
However, after a second Qassam was fired at an Israeli Negev community, IDF gunners returned fire with artillery rounds at areas from which Qassam and mortar attacks were launched.
The IDF has fired 40 artillery rounds at areas in Gaza from which the attacks on the south were launched.
The army said that Israeli forces will respond harshly to all Palestinian rocket and shelling attacks on Israel.
There were no injuries in the attacks, however a mortar shell fired from the Strip struck an Israeli home.
The IDF has linked the renewed firing to internal developments in the Palestinian Authority and local elections taking place in Palestinian territories.
"The parents were in another house, and the children just returned home, when an explosion was heard and the mortar fell on the grass near the house," one resident who lives close to the home damaged by the mortar said.
"It's a miracle that there were no injuries and hardly any damage. The family is very agitated," he added.
Residents also said the Red Dawn alert
system, designed to warn of imminent rocket and mortar attacks, failed to go off.
Heavy artillery
Two weeks ago, the army chose heavy artillery as a means to respond to shells and Qassam attacks from Gaza.
The IDF said that it views any firing attacks from Gaza with severity, regardless of whether injures or damage is caused or not.
An IDF source said that each such attack would be met with an appropriate response.
The security establishment is not, however, interested in opening a new front against the Palestinians, and does not wish to see an escalation of the situation, at least until the Palestinian elections in January 2006.
Despite this, army sources have said the planting of explosive devices along the electronic fence in Gaza has not ceased, and that terror groups have not stopped preparing attacks and working to extend their infrastructure.
"What is for sure is that we will not accept the firing of Qassams and mortars at Israel, and we will know how to respond," an army source said.
