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An Israeli Signal to Hamas

[Ynet News] Ron Ben-Yishai - The IDF strikes on Hamas bases in Gaza Tuesday are directly linked to Monday's suicide bombing in Dimona, apparently carried out by Hamas men from Hebron in the West Bank. The IDF strikes were meant as a signal to Hamas' leadership: If you escalate the fighting originating in the West Bank, we will hit you where it hurts the most: attacks on bases of the forces used by Hamas to enforce its rule in Gaza. The objective was to show Hamas that Israel has the ability to escalate the fighting should Hamas continue with its suicide bombings, whether from the West Bank or via Sinai. The same is true should heavy rocket fire continue to target Israel's Negev region. Should Hamas not be deterred by the strikes, the IDF will move on to the next phase: Surgical strikes that would target the organization's political and military leadership. Should this fail, the security cabinet is expected to approve an intensive ground incursion into Gaza. Security officials are increasingly realizing that such an operation is apparently unavoidable. Sooner or later, Israel will be forced to seal off the Philadelphi Route on its own and regain its operational freedom and intelligence superiority in every point in Gaza.
2008-02-06 01:00:00
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