Another day of shutdowns and blocked traffic over Jihad threat

Southern Israel endures its third day of shutdowns and blocked roads and train links on Thursday,  preventive restrictions ordered by the IDF against the Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s threats. The entire region around the Gaza Strip remains on top alert, with residents ordered to stay off the streets and sequestered in sheltered places  after the PIJ threatened to avenge the IDF’s arrest on Monday of its West Bank chief Bassam a-Saadi. The military reported these extreme measures were prompted by a concrete PIJ threat of rocket and sniper attacks on civilians and troops. The chief of staff will lead a conference on the ground on Thursday to decide whether to move the operation “from defense to attack.” The prolonged counter-terror operation in Judea and Samaria continued on Wednesday meanwhile with the arrest of another 22 suspects.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email