Source: IDF preparing for several days of battle after killing of Islamic Jihad chief | The Times of Israel
The Times of Israel is liveblogging the events of November 12 as the nation girds for a major escalation in violence following the assassination of top Islamic Jihad commander Baha abu al-Ata.
The IDF says it expects terror groups in the Gaza Strip to retaliate for the assassination of Palestinian Islamic Jihad senior leader Baha abu al-Ata with rocket attacks throughout the country over the coming days.
“We are prepared for several days of battle, with an aerial defense shield, including in the center of the country,” the IDF spokesman says.
— Judah Ari Gross
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu say the decision to kill a senior Islamic Jihad officer was taken Sunday by the cabinet.
“Senior Islamic Jihad commander Baha Abu al-Ata was targeted overnight in Gaza. He was responsible for many terrorist attacks and the firing of rockets at Israel in recent months and had intended to carry out imminent attacks,” Netanyahu’s office tweets.
“The IDF action was recommended by the IDF Chief-of-Staff and ISA Director and was approved by the Prime Minister and Defense Minister after it had been presented to – and approved by – the Security Cabinet.”
The security cabinet was set to meet Tuesday morning to discuss the escalation in southern Israel and the Gaza Strip after the IAF kills a senior Islamic Jihad leader and the terror group responded with rockets fired at Israel.
The meeting set for 09.00 a.m. comes the same day as Naftali Bennett is set to take over as Defense Minister.
Israel Radio says that senior Israeli officials have been barred form talking to the media.
IDF spokesperson Brig. Gen. Hidai Zilberman says the killing of a senior Islamic Jihad commander does not represent a return the the policy of targeted killings that saw Israel kill dozens of terror leaders in the last decade.
Zilberman said air force targeted Baha Abu al-Ata because he was “a ticking bomb” and was planning imminent attacks against Israel.
Israeli blames for the recent salvo of rockets fired into Israel.
Senior military officials says they managed to target the specific room where Baha Abu al-Ata, a senior Islamic Jihad leader was sleeping, and did not destroy the entire building, Israel radio reports.
Palestinians say that Al-ata and his wife were killed in the strike on the building in the Shejaiya area of Gaza City.
The official tells Israel Radio that they had specific information on his location and managed to avoid casualties to bystanders.
The official says this was a one-time operation to get al-Ata, who was responsible for firing dozens of rockets at Israel in recent weeks, and not a return to Israel’s policy of targeted killings.
The Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepted several rockets over southern Israel early Tuesday, media reports said.
Israel radio said that several rockets were intercepted over the southern city of Ashdod.
There was no immediate confirmation from the IDF, but warning sirens wailed in several cities in the south, including Ashdod and Ashkelon
The IDF urged residents of southern Israel to stay close to bomb shelters on Tuesday as the region went on high alert after Israel killed a senior Islamic Jiahd commander.
School was canceled in cities and communities near the Gaza Strip and the railways cancelled routes in southern Israel.
All public events in the area were ordered cancelled.
Rocket warning sounded in Israeli communities near the Gaza Strip early Tuesday after Israel killed a senior Islamic Jihad commander in Gaza.
The IDF said sirens went off in Ashdod and in the Gadera region in southern Israel. The IDF was investigating.
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