Eye on the Enemy-- Itai Baron: Hamas Rockets Will Reach Netanya
Walla news portal - Pinchas Wolf
Head of the Directorate of Military Intelligence Research Section Department Brigadier General Itai Baron said yesterday (Monday) at a briefing in the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that Hamas is developing its rockets to reach a range of 70 km and more, which means that Hamas will be able to target Netanya .
"Hamas seeks truce," Baron said to the MKs, "but it is being challenged by other Palestinian factions whose capacities to deter Hamas are wearing down. The organization is affected by the tribulations of Syria and it is preparing itself to evacuate its headquarters in Damascus. At the same time, Hamas continues to grow stronger."
According to Baron, intelligence does not use the term "Arab spring", but "the tribulations which the Middle East is facing" instead. He added, "There is a general trend for Middle Eastern countries to procure guns, missiles and unmanned aircrafts." He also claimed that a certain amount of weapons were smuggled from Libya to Gaza.
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"Israeli" Minister: Hizbullah Has No Interest In Escalation
Army Radio
Intelligence Affairs Minister Dan Meridor said that "Israel" holds the government of Lebanon and its military responsible for the attacks on the north, and the identity of those firing the rockets needed to be clarified. "Several similar incidents occurred after Lebanon's 2nd war in 2006 and I don't know who was behind them and I don't accuse Hezbollah," he added.
In an interview with Army Radio, Meridor said that since 2006 the northern borders were quiet and Hezbollah, the most powerful party in Lebanon, has no interest in an escalation. "The question of who is behind the rocket fire is not yet known, we are waiting for investigations to be done, but I cannot identify which organization launched the rockets," Meridor said and further emphasized that this incident is not connected to the alleged explosion of Iran.
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"Israel": Rockets fired into Western Galilee
Army Radio
Four rockets were fired at night (Tuesday) from Lebanon into Western Galilee. There were no casualties, but one missile hit a chicken village in one of the settlements near the border, and a bulk gas tank was hit by a shell which set the place ablaze.
Missiles were hit at around 12:30 am. Security forces searched the Galilee for other rockets, but so far three rockets of vector 122 mm were shot.
IDF troops responded and opened fire at the source of fire.
The defense assessment is that Hizbullah was not behind launching the Katyushas and that this is an isolated incident that will not result in igniting the area. Apparently, the organization that stands behind the rocket fire is a Palestinian organization or the jihad organization. However, the army made it clear that the sole responsibility lays on the Lebanese government, and it is the one charged to prevent rocket firing at "Israel". This is the eighth attack from Lebanon targeting "Israel" since the Second Lebanon War.
The Northern Command is always on the alert and conducts ongoing assessments in the light of the events. Currently no special instructions were given to the residents of the north, and studies in educational institutions carried on as usual.
Source: Hebrew newspapers, translated by moqawama.org
