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Iran-backed terrorists in Gaza have fired 469 rockets toward Israel as of 9:30 p.m. Israel time, with 107 falling short in Gaza, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The barrage reached southern and central Israel, with explosions heard over Beersheba, Tel Aviv, Sderot, and Ashkelon, among other cities. Israel’s air defense systems intercepted 153 of the rockets, the IDF said. Israeli forces responded with renewed airstrikes against Islamic Jihad targets in Gaza, including weapons storage sites and an Islamic Jihad military post used to launch mortars. The IDF also reportedly carried out a drone strike against the home of an Islamic Jihad member in the northern Gaza city of Beit Lahiya.
Expert Analysis
“We have two sides here: Israel, a democracy and strong American ally, and Islamic Jihad, a wholly owned subsidiary of Iran designated by the U.S. government as a terrorist organization. The U.S. can help Israel root out Islamic Jihad’s terror infrastructure by putting pressure on its sponsor in Tehran, its Hamas host in Gaza, and its Palestinian enablers in the West Bank.” — Richard Goldberg, FDD Senior Advisor
“Israel’s goal is to defang Islamic Jihad while keeping Hamas out of the fighting. However, there is no way that Islamic Jihad could fire that many rockets without close coordination with Hamas. If Hamas does not bring the smaller terror organization to heel, the IDF may turn on Hamas. If this happens, there is a good chance of a broader escalation that could spill over to other arenas.” — Enia Krivine, Senior Director of FDD’s Israel Program and National Security Network
“Islamic Jihad is determined to achieve a notable victory in this round of conflict by targeting populated areas with the aim of killing civilians. Yet the Israeli defense establishment has denied Islamic Jihad and its cohorts a PR victory mainly due to proactive defense measures taken against terrorists firing rockets.” — Joe Truzman, Research Analyst at FDD’s Long War Journal
Related AnalysisIslamic Jihad Seeks Israel’s DestructionGaza-Based Terrorists Backed by Iran Renew Rocket Fire, Reaching Tel Aviv OutskirtsIsrael Kills Three Islamic Jihad Terror Chiefs in Gaza
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