[AP/Washington Post] Aron Heller - Residents of the beachside city of Ashkelon are still coming to terms with being on the front lines of Israel's battle against Hamas militants. A dozen Katyusha rockets slammed into the city over the weekend, marking a significant turning point in the conflict and compelling Israel to strike back hard. "All of a sudden, the reality has changed," said Rachel Shimoni, 66, as she stood amid shards of glass, blown out of the front window of her clothing store. By reaching Ashkelon, a city of 120,000 people about 11 miles north of Gaza, Hamas raised the stakes considerably. It is one of the largest cities in southern Israel, home to strategic installations like an electric power plant and a water purification plant. The latest fighting was the first time Gaza militants have been able to hit Ashkelon on a regular basis. An Israeli military official said the harsh Israeli reaction was intended as a clear signal to Hamas that hitting Ashkelon will not be tolerated. "The fact that more than a dozen rockets have targeted the major population center of Ashkelon is a sign that the terrorists have broken through a new threshold in their war against the Israeli civilian population," said Mark Regev, a spokesman for Prime Minister Olmert. "We will have to act to protect our people." Israeli officials assume that new and improved rockets, along with Iranian-trained rocket-launchers, were smuggled into Gaza when its border with Egypt was breached in January, bringing Ashkelon into range.
2008-03-03 01:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive