Gaza militants fire missile at Be'er Sheva for first time since Gaza war
One Grad missile hit building in residential area, causing damage; no casualties reported; Palestinians report Israeli air strike retaliation, wounding two Islamic Jihad militants.
By Yanir Yagna, Gili Cohen and Natasha MozgovayaGrad rockets were fired at the southern Israeli city of Be'er Sheva on Wednesday, several hours after the Israel Defense Forces fired at a group of militants on the Gaza border, wounding 11.
Palestinian sources reported that the Israel Air Force retaliated late Wednesday with an airstrike in eastern Gaza City, wounding three Islamic Jihad militants. The IDF confirmed the airstrike.
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Security forces gather around the place the Grad rocket fell in Be'er Sheva on February 23, 2011. |
| Photo by: Eli Hershkovitz |
The IDF reportedly carried out additional retaliation later Wednesday night, launching airstrikes in multiple other locations along the Gaza Strip against militants.
Two Grad rockets were reportedly fired at Be'er Sheva on Wednesday evening, but so far only one missile is known to have landed in the city, which hit a building in a residential area of the city, causing damage, marking the first time Be'er Sheva was hit since the Gaza war in 2009.
"We heard a noise which sounded like very strong wind, but then we heard the Red Color alert. All of the students ran to the staircase, and we heard the explosion. We still don't know where the Grad fell," a student at Ben-Gurion University told Haaretz.
So far there are no reports of casualties as a result of the strike, but several people suffered from anxiety and received medical treatment.
During Operation Cast Lead in 2009, several rockets were fired at Be'er Sheva and two people were seriously wounded, including a seven-year-old boy.
Meron Reuben, Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, sent a letter to the President of the Security Council, Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, Wednesday, imploring the UN to condemn the attack.
Reuben said in the letter that the attacks represent a clear escalation of terrorist activity emanating from the Gaza Strip. He further noted that such attacks constitute a clear violation of international law, and must be addressed with the utmost seriousness.
Reuben's letter was prompted by a statement issued by Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman who called on the UN to condemn the attacks and "not be apathetic to such a blatant act of terror".
A spokesperson for the Be'er Sheva municipality announced that school would not be canceled in light of the attack, encouraging residents to be on the alert and listen to instructions when necessary.
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Israel please remove your gloves, and bring back the men of the year 1967. Long Live Israel American Christians support you
Oh my heart goes out to Israel! It seems the U.S. is turning its back on what the Israeli people are doing. I am so sorry. Stay strong. The Israeli people's fortitude and strength are something to be absolutely admired!
Israel retaliates against terror by wounding two jihadist terrorists while Khadafi murders 1,000 of his own citizens....want to guess which country will feel the wrath of international outrage?
so, after Israel wounds 11 people, rockets are fired into Israel. Hmmm, I wonder what the connection could be.
They want to be careful they do not hit the Anzac cemmetery by firing indiscrminately.
Let's hope Netanyahu and Co are clever enough to sit this one out and not respond with the usual over-the-top retaliation. Yes, Hamas probably got the go-ahead from Iran to heat-up the sector, and there's probably the Lebanon border coming up next. But Hamas are under a lot of pressure internally as is Ahmadinejad. They urgently need a battle with a ruthless Israel to save their own skins. Grit the teeth and wait, for heaven's sake.
Boy, these zionists are really chomping at the bit to start something here. They began by over responded and killing under their usual pretense, knowing how it would set off a chain reaction. They're masters at that. Hamas reacts after they are hit and their casualties mount. They shoot back, upping the ante. Israel knows this and will use it as their pretext for a devastating blow to Gaza civilians. Israel will claim their attack is for their own "security" and they will say that there is no space at this point to discuss anything with the palestinians, that radicaliism is on the rise. Their attacks against Gaza with today's rhetoric from netanyahu about instability in the Arab world are dead give aways for Israel's course of agression.
I don't think the Zionists are "starting" something here. The "start" is firing rockets into Israel.
Please IDF give those terrorists pure hell, please pretty pretty please.
Time for operation cast lead 2.
Remember it is the only thing we have not yet tried.
all settlers must be transferred from their squats out of palestine. Their presence can no longer be tolerated and the only way to stop their acts of collective terrorism against the people of Palestine is to move them out entirely. Good suggestion. Transfer out of palestine. It should be implemented.
as a Palestinian that wants to live in peace with israelis i find your comment offensive, why to send Jews to Europe and U.S?, i understand that this Israel is out of region, Arabs to the left Arabs to the right, top, bottom and israel is more Europeanized, and Europeans have 50 ( FIFTY) countries, they can give you one. but i prefer if israelis agree and accept the Arab peace initiative to normalize ties with israel and have economic, security benefits.
It's your feaking land you're trying to leave. Look what it's got you so far. Take your land back and transfer out the hell bound terrorists and thier families!
as a Palestinian that hopes one day israel and Palestine live peacefully with the rest of the Arab world i am offended. i can understand your sentiment, israel seems out of place here, Arabs all around it, while israel is more European, and let's not forget Europeans have 50 ( FIFTY ) countries. israel should accept the Arab peace initiative and normalize ties with the Arab world, it'd be better.
So much for white underwear. Looked like the Griswald family running down the stairs...
coming from the Hamas and Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt! Now that Iran is free to move nukes in and out of the Sinai, will the world allow another Genocide or take action against the muslim brotherhood???
Israel would never remove hamas from gaza, they might launch mini-wars to test their weapons, but they'll never remove Hamas, it's not because they can't...
I hope the IDF bombs those MFs back to the stone age. Screw them, screw the peace process. I just want to protect my family.