(Jerusalem Post) Yaakov Katz - The IDF General Staff has ordered the Southern Command to prepare for a possible large Gaza operation in the next few months. Senior officers said such an operation could be significantly larger than Operation Cast Lead, launched in late 2008. "Gaza has changed and the weaponry in Hamas' and Islamic Jihad's hands has significantly grown in quantity and quality," a senior officer explained. Hamas is believed to have a fighting force number over 20,000 armed men, as well as anti-tank missiles, mortars and rockets, and anti-aircraft missiles. In 2011, 680 rockets and mortar shells were fired into Israel, including 80 longer-range Grad-model Katyusha rockets, compared to just 2 Grads in 2010.
2012-01-17 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive