Israeli Airstrike Kills Nine Palestinian Militants in Gaza

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli aircraft struck at Palestinian militants in Gaza on Saturday who responded with a volley of rockets which rained on southern Israeli towns, Israeli and Palestinian officials said. Palestinian officials said nine militants were killed, while on the Israeli side one civilian was killed and four others were wounded.

Exchanges of fire are common between southern Israel and the Gaza strip controlled by the militant Hamas group, but this is the worst in months.

Gaza Health Ministry spokesman Adham Abu Salmia said nine people were killed and 15 wounded in separate attacks on militant targets.

Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said one Israeli civilian was killed and four others wounded when Palestinian rockets exploded in residential areas in southern Israel.

An Israeli military spokesman confirmed a total of four strikes in Gaza, saying the military hit Palestinian militants from the Islamic Jihad, one of several groups in Gaza which fires rockets into southern Israel. The spokesman said that the first attack specifically targeted a cell responsible for a Wednesday rocket attack that exploded deep inside Israel. That attack had caused no casualties.

The military “will not tolerate any attempt to harm Israeli civilians,” the spokesman said. He spoke on condition of anonymity in accordance with military protocols.

The Israeli military released video footage taken from a military drone Saturday afternoon that shows Palestinians unloading rockets from a truck and preparing them for firing at Israel. The strike took place shortly afterward.

Abu Salmia, the Gaza health official, said five people had been killed and 11 wounded in the first attack. Islamic Jihad spokesman Abu Ahmed confirmed that one of its local field commanders, Ahmed Sheikh Khalil, was among the dead. He said Khalil was one of the group’s chief bomb makers. “Today it was a great loss for us in the Islamic Jihad,” he said. “The size of our retaliation will equal our loss,” it said in a text message sent to reporters.

“Our response shall be in the depths of the Zionist entity,” it said in reference to the Israeli heartland.

After the first airstrike, militants in Gaza fired over 20 rockets at southern Israel, Rosenfeld said.

Islamic Jihad took responsibility for firing the rockets in a text message to reporters, and released photos of the rockets being launched from the backs of pickup trucks. The group said this is the first time they are using this system as opposed to firing them from launchers on the ground.

One rocket hit an apartment building in the southern city of Ashkelon and injured a 50 year-old Israeli who later died of his wounds, Rosenfeld said. Another exploded outside an apartment building in nearby Ashdod, injuring one person. Israeli television showed about a dozen cars in flames outside the building.

Another Israeli sustained shrapnel wounds in the nearby town of Gan Yavneh and others in the Ashdod region were treated for shock, the Israeli military spokesman said.

Israel’s Channel 2 television reported that one rocket hid a school, causing massive damage. No one was hurt because the school was closed for the Jewish Sabbath, Ashdod Mayor Yehiel Lasri said.

Late Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu phoned the mayors of cities hit by Palestinian rockets. Netanyahu said the military had hit rocket launcher squads responsible for the attacks and said “the military’s response will be tougher if needed.”

After the rocket barrage, Abu Salmia said that a second Israeli attack killed two people. Islamic Jihad confirmed that they were militants. Israel’s military spokesman said that the second air strike had hit “terrorists that fired rockets on Israel in the evening,”

Abu Salmia said another Israeli strike late Saturday killed two more militants bringing the total to nine.

The Iranian-backed Islamic Jihad took responsibility for multiple suicide bombings and shooting attacks against civilians in Israel during the second Palestinian intifadah, or uprising, in the first half of the last decade.

Israel and Hamas, the militant group that rules Gaza, blamed each other for the flare up in violence Saturday.

“The Hamas terror organization is solely responsible for any terrorist activity emanating from the Gaza Strip,” the Israeli military said.

Israel as a matter of policy holds Hamas liable for violence perpetrated by any of the different armed groups in the coastal territory.

Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum meanwhile said Israel is “fully responsible for all the results of this dangerous escalation.”

In the winter of 2008, Israel launched a broad military offensive inside Gaza aimed at stopping almost daily Palestinian rocket fire at Israeli communities.

Since then, violence has continued sporadically along the border and Palestinians continue to launch mortars and rockets at Israel, but to a much lesser degree.

On Wednesday, militants fired a long-range Katyusha rocket that exploded near Ashdod in the south of Israel. Sirens also went off in the central Israeli city of Rehovot, which unlike many southern Israeli cities is not accustomed to rocket fire, causing panic. The Israeli military said the alarm went off because the rocket exploded in an area between the two cities.

Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said that Israeli diplomats “will protest against the indiscriminate rocket attacks on Israeli civilians to the U.N. Secretary General.” He said a similar letter sent after Wednesday’s attack has yet to be answered.

Comments (88)

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  • Brem
    Posted on October 30, 2011 at 4:45am

    Hurry up and attack Iran

    Report Post »  
    • The_Almighty_Creestof
      Posted on October 30, 2011 at 5:15am

      Biological warfare would work well…I think a good dose of “swine” flu would be appropriate : )

      Report Post »  
    • rangerp
      Posted on October 30, 2011 at 7:07am

      only nine killed? use more rockets next time.

      Report Post » rangerp  
    • Thatsitivehadenough
      Posted on October 30, 2011 at 8:11am

      Oh, too bad the video ended before we got to see them TAKEN OUT!
      Keep up the good work IDF. Don’t listen to anyone but your heart.
      Defeat Gaza permanently. We are with you.

      Report Post » Thatsitivehadenough  
    • SLAPTHELEFT
      Posted on October 30, 2011 at 8:13am

      Why don’t the Israelis parade their dead through the streets for the world to see? Would the world even notice?

      Indiscriminate firing of rockets into a country, then claiming you will revenge the death of those killed for said action, and the world weeps for your martyrs? Coming to an American city near you in the very near future.

      Report Post » SLAPTHELEFT  
    • TH30PH1LUS
      Posted on October 30, 2011 at 9:58am

      As I recall: Jewish quarter = clean, orderly, nice. Palestinian neighborhoods = trashy, graffiti everywhere, men standing around ALL day doing nothing but yacking on cell phones.

      Report Post » TH30PH1LUS  
    • jblaze
      Posted on October 30, 2011 at 10:06am

      Israel attacks militants while Hamas attacks homes, apartments and schools! Cowards!

      Report Post » jblaze  
    • Bluefish49
      Posted on October 30, 2011 at 10:34am

      Would have been a better story if there were a few zero’s after the 9.

      Report Post »  
    • Bear
      Posted on October 30, 2011 at 10:37am

      I thought the Palestinians were an enslaved people not trying to take over Israel??? Sounds like they have a well armed invading army in the region to me?

      Report Post » Bear  
  • Dustyluv
    Posted on October 30, 2011 at 4:45am

    Israel shows so much restraint. Why they haven’t leveled the Muslim world is beyond me. I know that when they do have to defend themselves and a lot of Muslims die the whole world will turn against them. And we have an administration that has turned their back on them. We are paying that price right now too…

    I stand for Israel.

    Report Post »  
    • abbygirl1994
      Posted on October 30, 2011 at 10:15am

      American’s show as much restraint.. considering we have Chicago thugs in Washington.. we have protesters who are misguided and should be beating down the doors of Congress, the Senate and the White House..this is where the real anger should be placed.. not on Wall St. So really the Israeli’s and us have a lot in common! Good people take it and take it.. I just wonder when they and us are going to stop taking it?? I stand with Israel..

      Report Post » abbygirl1994  
    • Bobgood1
      Posted on October 31, 2011 at 5:21pm

      Back in the late 40′s England, divided up that whole area. The Palistanians were suposed to re-locate in Jordan near the Iranian border with all that land. Why haven’t they gone there. You can’t negotiate with people who are trying to kill you.

      Report Post » Bobgood1  
  • elihu
    Posted on October 30, 2011 at 4:20am

    Israel should just take out the entire ‘palestine’ element at once; it would save on jet fuel!

    Report Post » elihu  
  • scout n ambush
    Posted on October 30, 2011 at 4:02am

    news report / egypt let the muslim brotherhood visit gaza were the bringing gifts ?

    Report Post » scout n ambush  
  • Steve
    Posted on October 30, 2011 at 3:25am

    Quite simple. Don’t fire missiles into Israel and they wont bomb the blankety blank out of you……

    Next question! Yes you there with the beard wearing what looks like a burka. whats your name and whats your question………..well rose-ellen let me put it this way. If the GOVERMENT of Hamas would drop their weapons there would be peace If Israel dropped their weapons there would be mass murders and no Israel…..

    Yes next question yes you there with his finger up his a$$. What is your name and what is your question…..Well Enicom As soon as the state of Israel was given BACK by the world body every Muslim country in the area attacked them.. Yes thats true enicom and furthermore most of these countries today still want the annihilation of the Jewish People and the State of Israel……No the Jews never attacked them they were always on the defensive. Yes the land they took was strategic because their Muslims kept using it to kill Jews.

    Next question yes. rose-ellen again…….no the Jews occupied this land over 3000 years ago it actually belonged to Turkey and most of the Arabs there were Jordanian…no rose-ellen the term Palestinian people was created by Arafat. No they never had a President or a King only the Jews did. Yes rose-ellen that happened thousands of years before Muhammad raped his first little girl and slaughtered his first village..

    OK Next Class is Obama really a Muslim Apostate.

    Report Post »  
    • SLAPTHELEFT
      Posted on October 30, 2011 at 8:19am

      Steve

      I have a question- in the peace loving religion of Islam, would encinom or roseellen be beheaded if they refused to convert to Islam? One more sir, would peace loving Islam respect those who commit treason against their own country and welcome them into the loving arms? Sorry, one more sir, will OWS protests be allowed one Allah has become the final product and will public fornication by strangers under tarps be encouraged?

      Report Post » SLAPTHELEFT  
    • rose-ellen
      Posted on October 30, 2011 at 6:38pm

      No. Quite simple. Continue occupying and illigal anexation and settle ment building-and your people are not secure [unlike in bklyn. where they may have come from].We know it is a burden to be occupied but it is also thanks to the palestinian resisters -a burden to insist on occupying.israel can kill may people-but their people are not living in peace and harmony.That is their price for illigal activity.long live a free palestine alonside a legal 1948border israel.

      Report Post »  
  • PROV1X
    Posted on October 30, 2011 at 3:02am

    how many times can u poke a dog before it bites you? benji should let the tanks roll!!

    Report Post » PROV1X  
  • Dave In Arizona
    Posted on October 30, 2011 at 2:38am

    Mazel tov!! But too bad it wasn’t 90 Palestinian militants. Better luck next time.

    Report Post » Dave In Arizona  
  • welovetheUSA
    Posted on October 30, 2011 at 2:34am

    Good………….it begins.

    Report Post » welovetheUSA  
  • macpappy
    Posted on October 30, 2011 at 1:46am

    Good shooting is what I say.

    Report Post » macpappy  
    • The10thAmendment
      Posted on October 30, 2011 at 1:54am

      Just a few hundred thousand more. Maybe Netanyahu could use a donation so that he can arm him military with enough bullets to put an end to those creeps.

      9 is a start. A million would be preferable.

      Report Post » The10thAmendment  
  • scout n ambush
    Posted on October 30, 2011 at 1:43am

    Like op cast lead in 2008 so will it be when Israel defends it’s civillians by launching another op the UN will condem them and maybe use the responsibility to protect to invade israel .

    Report Post » scout n ambush  
  • Findalis
    Posted on October 30, 2011 at 1:16am

    So far 35 rockets have fallen on Southern Israel, 1 man dead in Ashkelon, 16 wounded and the idiots in Gaza won’t stop firing. Sooner or later Israel will wipe out Gaza. They have no soldier being held captive, they are not releasing the rest of the 550 for Shalit, and their patience is at an end.

    Report Post » Findalis  
  • Anamah
    Posted on October 30, 2011 at 12:48am

    Well done !!! All Islamic Jihadists should go to hell where they belong.

    Report Post »  
  • spfoam1
    Posted on October 30, 2011 at 12:43am

    The time is coming when Israel needs to start using much larger bombs in retaliation. Gaza should be totally flatttened. I really can’t believe the restraint of the Israelis.

    Report Post »  
    • tzion
      Posted on October 30, 2011 at 1:21am

      Israel is quite capable of such action and chooses not to do so. You can be sure Hamas wouldn’t show that kind of restraint.

      Report Post »  
  • 82nd paratrooper
    Posted on October 30, 2011 at 12:05am

    We must ask ourselves if we have the will and the resolve to kill Muslims by the millions. It is becoming apparent to me that we may have to do so in order to keep these savages and animals from doing the same(or worse) to us. They certainly have the will and the resolve; there can be no doubt of that. If they could have detonated a nuclear device on 9/11 then there would have been a million dead americans rather than 3,000. I fear that its only a matter of time and God help us(and the free world) if Messiah Barack Obama is reelected.

    Report Post »  
    • rose-ellen
      Posted on October 30, 2011 at 6:32pm

      Americanism- the religion of A 21st c genocidal people.The anti-semitism of the 21stc -against muslim/arabs this time.Media fed propagandada for these “good germans” of the21stc.I support the palestinians and israel should cease it‘s illigal occupation and return to it’s legal 1948 borders. resistence against illigal occupation is legal-as israel recognized tacitly when it released. 1000resistence fighters.

      Report Post »  
  • libertytreas
    Posted on October 29, 2011 at 11:57pm

    Warning: the following video of Barrack Obama may be offensive to some viewers http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6hvmWDYiCY

    Report Post »  
    • Dustyluv
      Posted on October 30, 2011 at 4:41am

      Good one.

      Report Post »  
    • twistin
      Posted on October 30, 2011 at 11:01am

      I really hate the original, couldn’t listen to this beyond one minute, but thanks.

      Report Post »  
  • RightPolitically
    Posted on October 29, 2011 at 11:53pm

    Obama’s Arab Spring. Weakness plus encouragement equals CHAOS!

    Report Post » RightPolitically  
  • garyM
    Posted on October 29, 2011 at 11:47pm

    Things are escalating fast world wide and here in the good ole USA we have all that BS protesting going on with Wall Street and all across the US, corruption such as Sylindra, FAST AND FURIOUS, the Prez bypassing congress, 14 million dollars in debt and wanting to spend more. more people out of work than in 50 years, dems wanting to raise taxes, they have condensed congress the 12 people, changing drastic military rules, Mexicans crossing the border and getting on food stamps, Iranians threatening to wipe us off the map, we’re helping the UN liberate the Muslim brotherhood and Alquita,who is sending rockets Palestine to use against Israel, the dems have gone smack dab crazier by joining hand with the Jihadist, communist and terrorist and riot groups and the GOP is talking to the press about what needs to be done instead of doing it. That just scratches the surface! God help us!

    Report Post »  
    • jb.kibs
      Posted on October 30, 2011 at 12:22am

      fast and furious never happened, our government never lies and never does anything wrong which results in the murder of thousands…

      Report Post »  
  • KangarooJack
    Posted on October 29, 2011 at 11:44pm

    901+ left to go…

    Report Post » KangarooJack  
  • phillipwgirard
    Posted on October 29, 2011 at 11:09pm

    Only 9?

    Report Post » phillipwgirard  
    • restorehope
      Posted on October 29, 2011 at 11:47pm

      Making light of 9 deaths makes no sense. Hamas and their terrorist followers are evil and definitely need to be stopped, but calling for even more blood brings one down to their level. The United Nations is a politically-motivated organization who will not step in to stop the carnage. So looking to them for help is futile. Ultimately and sadly, it will be up to Israel to defend itself from this evil.

      Report Post »  
    • Alfred F. Jones
      Posted on October 30, 2011 at 12:31am

      Honestly, Israel needs to hurry up and go in there and just take the whole place over and killing all hostiles. If not, Israel is going to have more casualties and Palestinians will continue to line to be killed during their terrorist attacks. Just level it already before they level you Israel.

      Report Post » Alfred F. Jones  
  • JustPeachy
    Posted on October 29, 2011 at 11:08pm

    Palestinian militants from the Islamic Jihad = just plain evil. They’re not going to stop–not of their own accord, anyway.

    We really need to pray for Israel!

    Report Post » JustPeachy  
  • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
    Posted on October 29, 2011 at 11:01pm

    Glad to see Israel standing up for herself; now watch Mr Obama use this matter to further condemn and villify Israel when she acted in self defense.

    Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
  • momrules
    Posted on October 29, 2011 at 10:52pm

    Israel will not take this much longer. I expect a newscast that says Israel has attacked and destroyed Iran’s nuclear sites any day. They might as well clean out Gaza at the same time.

    Report Post »  
    • lukerw
      Posted on October 29, 2011 at 11:01pm

      My understanding is that they have bomb-proofed the sites and located them in “sacred areas”!

      Report Post » lukerw  
    • Teaparty-grammy
      Posted on October 29, 2011 at 11:03pm

      I’ve been expecting that airstrike in Iran, too. I can’t imagine the Israelis will sit idly by and let that nutball in power in Iran get his hands on nukes. It would not be the first time the Israelis put an end to Iran’s dreams of nuclear conquest.

      Report Post » Teaparty-grammy  
  • Sire Lansing
    Posted on October 29, 2011 at 10:50pm

    God bless Israel.
    Cursed be the Philistine swine.

    Report Post »  
    • rose-ellen
      Posted on October 30, 2011 at 6:42pm

      God bless everyone-israel ijews and israeli arabs-palestinian christians and palestinian arabs and arab jews now living in israel yet discriminated against by european zionist interlopers.They miss their arab homelands if truth be told.[prior to the euroepan zionist interlopers arab jews lived in harmony with their muslim and christian neighbors [alot more so then they did in europe!].

      Report Post »  
  • Psychosis
    Posted on October 29, 2011 at 10:48pm

    good for them

    im sure they could use a mall………………..make a glass parking lot for them

    if the palestinians want peace, stop launching rockets

    if the rest of the world wants peace ……………………hit em so hard they still feel it 10 generations from now

    Report Post » Psychosis  
  • lukerw
    Posted on October 29, 2011 at 10:40pm

    901 to go… to get even!

    Report Post » lukerw  
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