IDF strikes again: 2 killed
Gaza under attack: Two Palestinians killed in latest Air Force strike Tuesday afternoon, the fourth Gaza attack in recent days; killed men said to be members of Fatah's al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades. IDF: This is our answer to Qassam attacks
The men killed in the attack were members of the Fatah's al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades identified as Atiya Abu-Sharia and Suhil al-Bakar. The attack took place near a Hamas Islamic center established by assassinated Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin.
Evacuation of casualties in Gaza following strike (Photo: Reuters)
The latest attack marks the fourth targeted assassination in Gaza since Saturday night and the third one targeting al-Aqsa Brigades members.
Meanwhile, the army confirmed it was behind the latest attack. Notably, the recent stretch of targeted assassinations marks the IDF's most intensive operation since the withdrawal from the Strip.
"This is our answer to the firing of Qassams," military officials said in the wake of the strike. "We said all along we'll act intensively and settle the score with anyone involved in terror. What happened this evening, as was the case in recent nights, is exactly our answer."
IDF Southern Command officials also hinted criticism against the army regarding ongoing Qassam rocket attacks are unjustified and added the army is doing everything possible in order to curb the rocket attacks.
Notably, some three hours after the strike in Gaza, a Qassam rocket was again launched at Sderot from the Gaza Strip. No injuries or damage to property were reported, and police launched a search to locate the rocket's landing site.
Superb intelligence
Military sources added aerial assaults and artillery fire will continue as long as the rocket attacks continue. On Tuesday, as in recent days, troops fired dozens of artillery shells at Qassam rocket launching sites in the northern Gaza Strip.
The latest strike, as do earlier ones, reflect the IDF's superb intelligence capabilities, which have allowed the Air Force to target terrorists with such accuracy. Tuesday's attack took place after the army identified the two suspects as they were leaving a house.
Army officials, meanwhile, noted all the recent strikes harmed only the terrorists and did not hurt any innocent bystanders.
Earlier Tuesday, IDF forces operating in the West Bank town of Nablus killed Islamic Jihad commander Ahmed Radad.
Two soldiers were wounded during exchanges of gunfire that erupted as they were encircling the house in which the Jihad commander was hiding. One sustained light wounds while the other was moderately hurt.
Palestinian sources identified the Islamic Jihad commander as Radad, the head of the al-Quds Brigades, the group’s military wing, in the West Bank city of Tul Karm.
