Palestinians reported that the IAF also attacked a large number of targets, including in Gaza City. Witnesses reported a "constant noise of fighter jets over Gaza."
The IDF confirmed the attack and said that direct targets were identified and that the attacks were carried out in response to the rocket fire.
Quartet tries new Israeli-Palestinian peace bid
Envoys from the United States, the United Nations, the European Union and Russia are hoping to hold separate meetings with Israeli and Palestinian negotiators to try to revive peace talks, the U.N.'s Mideast coordinator said Thursday,
With many Mideast countries preoccupied by anti-government protests, Serry said the Israelis and Palestinians may want to wait to see "what kind of a new Middle East" emerges.
Asked what the Quartet could do that the United States and its mediator George Mitchell couldn't do to revive negotiations, Serry said, "I believe we can help the parties by bringing some suggestions to them which could be a basis for those negotiations."
He refused to provide any details of the suggestions saying the Quartet wants to discuss them first with the Israelis and Palestinians.
Israel navy plans to defend Med gas fields
Israel's navy is drawing up plans to protect the state's new-found strategic resource, a natural gas bonanza in the eastern Mediterranean, parts of which Lebanon and the Palestinians claim.
Israeli navy will present the plan to the general staff of the Israel military in March. If it is approved, it will be sent to the government for a final decision.
Given the extent to which the deep-water gas finds off the coast of northern Israel made over the last three years will transform Israel's economy, it is unlikely Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's coalition will reject the naval blueprint.
The blueprint will involve the protection of offshore drilling vessels and production platforms, undersea pipelines and the like within Israel's maritime economic zone.
The fields, holding an estimated 25 trillion cubic meters of gas, will eventually supply 70 percent of Israel's energy needs for producing electricity as well as generate billions of dollars in exports.
And that fact alone could pull Russia into a conflict with Israel, as these gas and oil findings threaten Russian plans for energy dominance in the region. To add to this mix is "Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon:
The main threat to the gas fields now comes from the Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon and Palestinian groups, particularly Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
But the arrival in the Mediterranean of the 1,100-ton Iranian frigate Alvand, armed with torpedoes and C-802 anti-ship missiles, and the 33,000 replenishment ship Kharg on Tuesday caused jitters in Israel.
Israel already faces security problems regarding the gas fields. Lebanon, its northern neighbor with whom the Jewish state is still technically at war, claims the gas fields stretch into its waters.
Hezbollah, which fought a 34-day war with Israel in 2006, has warned it won't allow Israel to "plunder" Lebanese resources. Israel has made it clear it will use military force to defend its gas fields.
And more news on the finding of a nuclear facility near Damascus:
Report: Satellite images expose covert Syria nuclear facility
The report, relating to a compound outside the town of Marj as Sultan, near Damascus, said that the facility was intended for "processing uranium yellowcake into uranium tetrafluoride (UF4)."
"This facility could have been related to the process of making fuel for the planned al Kibar reactor," the report stated, citing the location of the reactor Israel bombed.
ISIS claimed, in addition, that the photos also uncovered Syrian attempts to conceal their nuclear attempts.
Glyn Davies, Washington's IAEA envoy, said in a speech posted on the U.S. mission's website on Friday it was "urgent and essential" that Syria heed UN inspectors' requests for extended access to sites, personnel and material.
"Absent clear action by Syria to cooperate fully with the IAEA, we are rapidly approaching a situation where the (IAEA) board (of governors) and secretariat must consider all available measures and authorities...," he said.
Syria is seen as unlikely to yield to a special inspection. Diplomats and analysts believe the IAEA will refrain from escalating the dispute at a time of rising tension with Iran, which the West suspects of seeking nuclear weapons.
Things are happening very fast now in the Middle East. I found one quote above particularly interesting:
"We may want to see what kind of New Middle East emerges" before continuing with further peace talks. That says it all doesn't it?
Because we just don't know what exactly will emerge - only that whatever leadership does emerge in these various countries will join alliances against Israel. That much we do know.
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