IDF: Rocket fire unprecedented

Army says more than 200 rockets launched from Gaza in recent days ‘a dramatic development’

The current round of fighting between the IDF and Gaza terrorists is increasingly appearing to be unprecedented in terms of the number of rockets directed at Israel, military officials say.

 

The IDF has registered some 200 rocket launches from Gaza and is characterizing the attacks as a “dramatic development in terms of the quantity and rate of the fire.”

 

“In the first three days of the current round of fighting we’ve sustained a larger quantity of rockets than the quantity fired at Israel in the two previous rounds, in August and October, which were longer,” an army official said.

 

More than 50 of the rockets fired in recent days were medium-range missiles and most attacks were carried out by the Islamic Jihad, the army said. The IDF said that at this time there is no indication of attempts to target central Israel with long-range rockets.

 

Army: Fatah involved in attacks 

According to IDF estimates, Islamic Jihad will only halt its rocket attacks in case of a significant blow to Israel’s home front, or alternately, following massive pressure from Hamas or Egypt. The group views the latest round of fighting as a “problematic event that must be counter-balanced, and therefore the fire continues,” a military official said.

 

“Islamic Jihad views its blows to Israel as highly limited given the success of Iron dome,” he said. “The various organizations are currently trying to produce an image of victory.”

 

Officials noted that the Fatah group in Gaza, Hamas’ archrival, is also taking a small part in the rocket attacks on Israel.