More Violence: Mortar Attack Injures Agricultural Workers in Israel

There has been a significant increase in violence in Israel recently, and this fact is being noticed by several publications. Just on the heels of a planned ambush of Israeli soldiers, today we see more mortars launched into Israel from Gaza:

3 Thai Workers Hurt in Mortar Attack on Kibbutz

The Al-Quds Brigades military wing of the Islamic Jihad terrorist group claimed responsibility Saturday night for the mortar fire aimed at Israel from Gaza over the weekend.Earlier in the day, three Thai agricultural workers were wounded during an attack on a kibbutz in the Sha’ar HaNegev Regional Council district.

Four 181 mm mortar shells exploded in the kibbutz, police said, including one that slammed into the building in which the workers have been living.

One of the workers sustained serious shrapnel wounds to the chest. A second worker was moderately injured, and a third was lightly wounded. All three were evacuated to Soroka Medical Center in Be’er Sheva for treatment.

Saturday’s attacks followed a deadly exchange of fire on Friday that left one IDF soldier dead and four wounded after their patrol spotted terrorists planting explosives along the security fence bordering central.

IDF Reassures Thai Workers, Kibbutz: "Soon We'll Have Answers"

IDF GOC Southern Command Maj.-Gen. Tal Russo traveled Saturday night to the Sha’ar HaNegev Regional Council district to reassure members of a kibbutz targeted by Gaza-launched mortar fire earlier in the day.

Israel maintains a policy of retaliating for each and every attack from Gaza.

Islamic Jihad’s military wing, the Al-Quds Brigades, claimed responsibility for the attack, and for an additional round of mortar fire launched on Saturday night.

Debka provides additional information:

Palestinian violence surges on W. Bank, Gaza

Since Friday night, Jan. 7 - when Israeli paratrooper, Sgt. Nadav Rutenberg, 20, from Moshav Ramot Hashavim, died and four others were injured during an ambush from the Gaza Strip - Palestinian terrorists have been on the offensive - both in Gaza and the West Bank, DEBKAfile's military sources report.

In addition to the episodes of violence described in the articles above, Debka reveals similar stories coming - only these are taking place in the West Bank, representing a new development:

Saturday, a would-be suicide bomber from Jenin armed with two pipe bombs shouting Allah is Great! jumped out of a taxi at the Israeli checkpoint at Beqaot in the northern Jordanian Valley and tried to rush the soldiers. They called him to stop and shot him when he kept going. The other passengers fled.

It was the first attack by a Jenin inhabitant in the four years of relative peace prevailing on the West Bank since Israel beat back the Palestinian uprising.
Friday, another Palestinian was shot on the West Bank; he was running at an Israeli roadblock with what looked like a bottle bomb.

Saturday saw a resumption of attacks on the Gaza Strip front: A volley of four mortar shells hit foreign laborers' lodgings at a kibbutz in the Shear Hanegev district. Three of them were hurt, one seriously, and were evacuated to hospital.

DEBKAfile's military sources report that Hamas and Jihad Islami have improved the aim of their mortars with the help of recently-delivered Iranian devices. They are now able to achieve more direct hits instead of their usual hit-or-miss performance.

This developing story is very interesting because it is hard to know what it may actually represent. One also has to consider what Iran may have planned, as they ultimately control the terrorist actions in both Gaza and southern Lebanon. This situation has also become further complicated by Egypt, who is now threatening Israel if they pursue any significant retaliatory actions in Gaza.

Stay tuned, this seems to be escalating on a daily basis.