Massive Gaza missile volley greets new IDF chief. IAF strikes 87 Hamas targets
Wave upon wave of Palestinian missiles were aimed at Israeli communities from Gaza on Friday night and Saturday morning, Oct. 26-27, gaining impetus from IDF air strikes at some 87 Hamas targets. The IDF spokesman spoke of 30 Palestinian missiles during the night, although the number was more than 50, of which Iron Dome intercepted 13 that directly threatened residential areas. This Palestinian assault focused on the town of Sderot and the Shear Hanegev Council communities rather than widely-spaced targets.
The IDF reported Saturday that IAF fighters hit the new Hamas General Security headquarters in the Derej district of Gaza City although they admitted the building was empty at the time of the attack. In the streets of Sderot meanwhile householders and their children huddled in shelters and fortified rooms after a day of listening to howling mobs of some 16,000 Palestinians close by, trying to force their way through the Gaza fence at three points, while hurling small bombs, grenades and rocks at the soldiers. Five rioters were killed and dozens injured by IDF gunfire before they were pushed back.
But Palestinian missile fire continued unabated into Saturday morning. The latest IDF bulletin held Syria and the Iranian al-Qods responsible for the Palestinian barrage of Friday night and Saturday morning. This onslaught powerfully debunked the reports of an Israeli-Hamas deal, brokered by Egypt, for the Palestinian terrorists to gradually de-escalate the border outbreaks, provided Israel held back and gave Hamas time for the process.
It also served as a greeting card from Hamas and Islamic Jihad to Israel’s next military chief of staff, whom Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman named on Friday as Maj. Gen. Aviv Kochavi, 54. Kochavi is currently deputy chief of staff to Lt. Gen. Gady Eisenkot, after spending three years as OC Northern Command. He served in many key combat and staff capacities during his military career, although evaluations of his capabilities are mixed.
As commander of the Paratroop Brigade (in 2001), he led successful operations against terrorist concentrations (in 2002-2003) in major Palestinian towns for breaking the back of the Second Intifada (Palestinian uprising) that terrorized Israeli civilian centers for two years. Kochavi designed an effective counter-terror raid technique for saving Israeli troops raiding houses for suspects from being exposed to attack in the street. They were given a tool, which was named after him, for smashing through interior walls between rooms.
As head of AMAN (Military Intelligence), while faulted for certain missed strategic evaluations, he had the foresight to develop the unit’s technological capabilities for its leap into cyber warfare.
Kochavi is still remembered as commander of the Gaza Division 13 years ago, when Israel withdrew finally from the Palestinian enclave under the late Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. On Sept. 12, 2005, Kochavi shut the door on the last evacuated Israeli community in the Gaza Strip with the pledge: “If a single shot, or bullet is ever fired from here against Israel, the IDF’s response will be crushing!”
During the subsequent 13 years, that vow stayed in the history books. Only this week, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu noted that, whereas in 2005, Hamas had only 3,000 armed men, the number has since soared to 65,000! However, in 2009, a year after he assumed the premiership, the Hamas militia numbered no more than 12,000 men.
Policy-making and military thinking in Israel for dealing with unending Hamas terror has remained frozen in place for 13 years. In 2005, Egypt promised to deploy troops on the strategic “Philadelphi Corridor” to prevent the newly-independent and demilitarized Palestinian enclave in Gaza from smuggling in weapons for rearming. That undertaking was not honored, any more than today, Cairo is capable of forcing Hamas to accept a truce.
As for the incoming chief of staff, Kochavi’s critics evaluate his performance as OC Northern command in charge of the Syrian and Lebanese border areas as falling short of his earlier operational and innovative promise. The question now is: Will Kochavi rise above Israel’s long conceptual paralysis with regard to Gaza and resort to action for stopping the increasingly unbridled Palestinian violence? This weekend, the terrorists of Gaza threw down another gauntlet for the IDF, clearly a challenge for Gen. Kochavi to see if he will finally make good on his 13-year oath of a “crushing response”
“The IDF reported Saturday that IAF fighters hit the new Hamas General Security headquarters in the Derej district of Gaza City although they admitted the building was empty at the time of the attack.” The only way to win is to kill their leadership. This building should have been bombed when filled up. Israel’s soft strategy over the years have allowed its enemies to rearm and get even stronger for the next round. The goal is the destruction of one’s enemy and not their survival to live and fight another day since this will keep making things harder into the future. Only destroying part of the enemy allows the enemy to regroup and restrengthen even more. Israel cannot afford to let its enemies live any longer since their goal is to destroy Israel. Destroy your enemies before they destroy you. TARGET THEIR TERRORIST LEADERS.
Yes. That’s exactly right.
Shalom from LA! This is a war of attrition. Do not escalate because world will castigate Israel. International stature of Israel grows each day. Don’t endanger that for the pesky jiadists. Keep it at a low flame. Reinforce the fence that is open, expedite the new barrier. I’m telling you that this daily crap doesn’t appear in CNN, NYT or any US media. Keep it that way. Listen to this outside perspective.
…and who will make Aliyah? Better to send a stab proof vest and a gas mask.
We need a new Moshe Dayan!!!!
Dayan well past his peak by 1973 failure cocky, bigheaded; Now Ariel Sharon made the science of fighting into ART
I hope that Maj. Gen. Aviv Kochavi means what he says: “…the IDF’s response will be crushing!” Crushing means no deals, no holds barred until the enemy is vanquished and ready to turn themselves into semi-civilized humans from the Terrorstinians they are today.
In any country – not just Israel – showing patience and restraint toward enemies while they constantly shoot at and terrorize innocent civilians is a product of leftism/liberalism/political correctness, whatever you want to call it.
Peace comes through victory over enemies, not diplomacy with them or restraint towards them. This concept has been indisputably proven in Israel.
May Gen. Koshavi and Israel’s leaders understand this and lead Israel to victory over their enemies.
Take out the schools, . . . the mosques, . . . shopping centers, . . . ball courts, . . . universities, . . . any place that offers enjoyment, consolation, happiness, . . . turn Gaza into a 2018 version of Dresden, Germany. It WILL stop the violence.
This is the exact same brutality that Assad and his Russian and Iranian and Hezbollah allies have all been doing to the majority of Syrians opposed to these terrorists in Syria. Since Hamas and Islamic Jihad are 100% pro-Hezbollah and Iran they should get a taste of what their allies are dishing out to the poor Syrians. Get Gaza out of Iranian influence once and for all. Remove this Iranian front against you first. The Hamas religious leadership have sold their souls to the Shia Rafida and have become traitors.
As a WWII vet told me…..conquer and occupy.
Kinda like the Clinton’s response to Terrorism – bomb empty tents and don’t defend your embassy people!
InshAllah any response from Israel will result in the final blow knocking out the wind from the sails of Israel itself.
WE WILL KILL OR CAPTURE YOUR FAVORITE CAMELS AND BRING THEM BACK TO ISRAEL WE KNOW YOU PERVERTS VALUE BIG CAMEL SCHLONGS OVER ANYTHING IN YOUR WORTHLESS LIVES INCLUDING YOUR CHILDREN. WHEN THE GREAT IDF/MOSSAD FINISH WITH THIS OPERATION YOU WILL COME CRAWLING TO ISRAEL WITH TEARS IN YOUR EYES BEGGING FOR FORGIVENESS.
Your mind is a cesspool. What filth you post daily.
Insha’allah , you will come to realise that the -OD of Israel has kept his promise to gather the exiles, and you may finally be convinced of what you thought happened after 1967; Allah is no match for the creator
He was my commander in lebanoses 34-day war. I wish my commander success in his new position.
The only win for peace is to male the Palestinians pay with their lives in such numbers their souls are crushed. No more warning them before destroying their buildings so they can escape. Kill them!
Cutting off the heads of the snake is a good first start while simoultaneously wiping out the arms depots. Divide the city north south east and west. Enter in large forces with Close support from air. LEt Merkava come in from four corners and push towards center making a last stand for hamas and do not stop til they are all winkled out. Enough is enough. No fear of the Hague as the US has delegitimised it.
hamas knows that Israel keeps threatening but doesn’t actually respond, excluding a few bombs on empty hamas locations. The longer Israel waits, the stronger are the attacks from hamas.
By continuing their attacks and escalating terror without any real fear of reprisal, it further emboldens hamas, islamic jihad etc., which helps to stir up more anger and unrest from gazans, resulting in larger demonstrations, violence and terror.
Israel may be hoping for some back-door peace with hamas, as per any discussions. This is simply a delay tactic by hamas, as they continue to become stronger and more bold with their attacks.
hamas only responds to strength, not empty words. After all these years, I’m surprised Israel cannot understand this.
Shalom from LA! This is a war of attrition. Do not escalate because world will castigate Israel. International stature of Israel grows each day. Don’t endanger that for the pesky jiadists. Keep it at a low flame. Reinforce the fence that is open, expedite the new barrier. I’m telling you that this daily crap doesn’t appear in CNN, NYT or any US media. Keep it that way. Listen to this outside perspective.
i wonder why israel is using expensive jets and rockets.howitzers can shoot today up to 20km and with special munition also with good precision.
do we have to put up with IDF BS? 37, no, 45 1/2, no 64 buildings were bombed, all empty and never have helped to stop the Gaza aggression.
Why are the Israelis so dumb to believe the lies? OK, I understand that they want to believe the Arabs but between the Arab lies and now the IDF lies, we can not actually do anything better to stop the aggression from Hamas???
Take ’em out. Quit horsing around.
Politcal correctness, which Israel now abides by..this is BS. Force is the only answer for these terrorists. The do not understand any other logic. Force is your answer, use it or lose it