Mortar attacks on Israel: Israel launches air attacks: ceasefire

BREAKING: 2 Children Killed, 15 Injured in Gaza as Israel Launches Several Air Raids

By Robert Inlakesh

al-Masdar News,

14 July, 2018

DAMASCUS, SYRIA (7:00 P.M)- Two Children have been confirmed dead and a further 15 civilians have been injured as Israel carry out a number of air-strikes in the besieged Gaza Strip.

The deliberate targeting of the “Battalion Building” in West Gaza City, with 8 rockets by the Israeli military has resulted in the death of two children. More than 15 civilians have been confirmed as injured so far. Another round of Israeli Strikes are carried out in Northern Gaza.

The children killed were identified by the Gaza Health Ministry as 15 year old, Namir Al-Nimra and Luai Kheil, 16 years old.

To read the full report GO HERE

From Reuters

Israel and Gaza militants agree to end fierce flare-up of fighting

GAZA-ISRAEL BORDER (Reuters) - Israel and Gaza militant groups agreed a ceasefire on Saturday, a Palestinian official said, after Israel launched dozens of air strikes against the Palestinian enclave’s ruling Hamas group and gunmen fired more than 100 rockets across the border.

But several hours after the announcement, the Israeli military said Palestinians fired two mortar bombs towards Israel and that it responded by striking the weapon used in the attack in the southern Gaza Strip. There were no immediate reports of any casualties.

Palestinian health officials said earlier that two teenagers had been killed by one air strike in what was one of the worst flare-ups since the 2014 Israel-Gaza war. A spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not respond to a request for comment.

Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum told Reuters: “Efforts by many parties have continued since the beginning of the escalation and the Israeli bombardment on Gaza. They were crowned by the success of the Egyptian effort to restore calm and end the escalation.”

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group said in a separate statement that a truce had been reached.

A senior Israeli defence official said: “Only the facts on the ground will dictate our further response.”

The surge in violence followed mounting public criticism of Netanyahu over failure to counter a new Palestinian tactic: incendiary kites and balloons launched from Gaza that have burned crops and scrubland in southern Israel.

Two Palestinian teenagers were killed on Saturday, Gaza health officials said, in one of more than 40 air strikes carried out in Gaza by the Israeli military since Friday.

OVER 100 ROCKETS

The military said some 100 rockets were launched from Gaza at southern Israel, where many residents have reinforced rooms in their homes but only seconds to reach them between the time sirens blare and missiles land.

Some of the projectiles were intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome system, but police said three people had been wounded in the southern town of Sderot.

An Israeli man looks on as an Iron Dome launcher fires an interceptor rocket in the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon July 14, 2018 REUTERS/Amir Cohen

“After consultations with the defence minister, the chief of staff and Israel’s top defence officials, we decided on powerful action against Hamas terrorism,” Netanyahu said in a video statement.

“The Israeli armed forces delivered the strongest blow against Hamas since (the 2014 Gaza war) and we will increase the intensity of our attacks as necessary.”

But Intelligence Minister Israel Katz said the Israeli attacks should not be seen as the start of a military campaign against the Palestinian territory of 2 million, devastated by seven weeks of war with Israel four years ago.

“We are not in a (military) operation. The activity we are engaged in now sends a message that Israel will not tolerate rockets, explosive devices, mortar bombs or (incendiary) kites,” Katz said on Israel’s Channel 12 TV.

“The action we are taking draws a clear red line: that from now on, we will not allow this.” Blasts from Israel’s air strikes shook homes and shattered windows in Gaza, where plumes of smoke rose from the sites of the explosions.

BUILDING BOMBED

The Israeli military said one air strike had hit a high-rise building in al-Shati refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, describing the target as a Hamas urban warfare training facility with a tunnel underneath.

Health officials in Gaza said the building was empty, but two Palestinians aged 15 and 16, among a crowd in a nearby public park, were killed. Around 10 other passers-by were wounded, the officials said. Nearby houses were damaged.

Slideshow (3 Images)

Israeli military spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Jonathan Conricus said the military had warned people before the attack to leave the area. “We have no intention to harm anyone who is not a terrorist,” he said.

Rocket warning sirens went off in the Israeli coastal city of Ashkelon, about 12 km (7 miles) from the enclave, further north than in recent attacks. A police spokesman said no hits had been recorded in the city.

Hamas stopped short of claiming responsibility for the rocket fire, but Barhoum earlier called it “an immediate response by the resistance to the escalation” by Israel and a deterrence to further Israeli attacks. “Bombardment for bombardment,” he said.

The fighting began on Friday, when thousands of Palestinians gathered at the Israel-Gaza border area for weekly protests that have now entered their fourth month.

The Israeli military said Friday’s protesters were throwing burning tyres, stones, explosive devices and fire bombs at its soldiers and that one of its officers was wounded by a Palestinian grenade hurled across the border fence.

Hours later, Israel launched air strikes in Gaza.

Israel says Hamas has been orchestrating the weekly protests to distract from governance problems and provide cover for militants’ cross-border attacks. Hamas denies this.

More than 130 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in the protests. There have been no Israeli fatalities during the so-called “Great March of Return” demonstrations.

From the zionist side of things,

Gaza Flare-up: Netanyahu Resists Pressure for War, but Flames Getting Higher

With Netanyahu in Russia, Israel's defense chief was the one forced to deflect criticism on the burning south

HAMAS Orders "Full Mobilization" for Rocket/Mortar Attacks on Israel; IDF Air Strikes in Progress

Hal Turner,

14 July, 2018

All hell is breaking lose between the Israelis and the Arabs in the West Bank/Gaza Strip.  LIVE UPDATES

 

UPDATE 5:56 PM EDT -- CEASE FIRE FAILS; NEW ROCKET & MORTAR ATTACKS FROM GAZA - IDF RESPONDS WITH ARTILLERY AND TANK FIRE! (SEE BOTTOM)

For several days, arson balloons and flaming kites have been causing blazing fires in summer-scorched Israel.The Israeli Defense Force has taken steps to slow those attacks, to little effect.

Yesterday, Rockets were launched out of Gaza into Israel on such a scale that 16 Israeli towns were under Air Raid Sirens.   The IDF sent fighter jets to attack the rocket launch sites and they did.

Today, HAMAS is ordering a "Full Mobilization" in order to attack Israel.

As of 11:51 AM eastern US time on Saturday, July 14, rockets and mortars are being fired into Israel on a large scale.

This story will be updated LIVE throughout today, so please check back (BELOW) for further information.

UPDATE 11:58 AM EDT --

 

HEAVY ISRAELI AIRSTRIKES IN HEAVILY URBAN AREAS OF CENTRAL GAZA CITY; NUMBER OF BUILDINGS HAVE BEEN HIT.
REPORTS : A CAR WITH PEOPLE WAS BOMBED IN CENTRAL #GAZA

MASSIVE ROCKET ATTACKS TOWARDS ISRAELI COMMUNITIES OM THE GAZA BORDER

Ashkelon is under rocket fire now. This is a clear sign of escalation. The rockets are now going farther.

UPDATE 12:05 PM EDT --

 

Hamas rocket attacks into Israel prompting multiple Red Alert sirens & text alerts to Israeli citizens.

3 CIVILIANS INJURED AFTER ROCKET HITS BUILDING IN THE ISRAEL CITY OF SDEROT

Situation in Gaza spinning out of control despite Egyptian mediation effort:
- Palestinian report as many as 12 wounded following strike in Gaza's Shati (IDF says building is a Hamas facility)

*** BULLETIN ***

UPDATE 12:10 PM EDT --

Hamas says in two hours they will strike Tel Aviv, working to confirm source.

 

ISRAELI CIVILIAN Casualties  reported following a rocket attack in Sderot

Casualties on both sides:

Palestinians: 2 dead (Children) and 14 wounded

Israelis: 3 wounded

*** BULLETIN ***

UPDATE 12:14 PM EDT --

Israel rejects any ceasefire.  (Hal Turner Note: This seems to be "it."  It looks like the fight is on. Big time.)

FYI: Israel is seven (7) hours ahead of east coast US time.

UPDATE 12:20 PM EDT-

 

Air Raid/Rocket attack sirens in Zikim, Karmiya ,Netiv Haasara , Yad Mordechai 

Interceptions reported after new sirens sound in southern Israel

UPDATE 12:29 PM EDT --

 

An emergency cabinet meeting on Gaza has just ended, according to local sources. IDF to commence a "larger operation" imminently!

UPDATE 12:52 PM EDT --

 

A Senior Western Diplomat" tells me there is progress in talks on a cease fire in Gaza. Next hour will be critical.  

*** BULLETIN ***

 

 ! ! ! ULTIMATUM ! ! !

12:54 PM EDT --

Israel has given an ULTIMATUM to Hamas: Agree to stop all Arson attacks (Balloons and Kites) and all Rocket/Mortar attacks or Israel will not stop air strikes until such things are ceased.   If that means all of Gaza must be destroyed, so be it.

UPDATE 1:18 PM EDT --

 

Israel Prime Minister says  "if Hamas does not understand the message today, it will understand by tomorrow."

GAZA OVERVIEW:
- Worst escalation since Operation Protective Edge in 2014
- 90+ rockets fired towards Israel
- IDF has struck 40 'Hamas targets' in Gaza
- 3 Israeli civilians wounded in Sderot
- 2 Palestinians killed, 14 wounded
- Strikes continuing

UPDATE 1:28 PM EDT --

Sirens in Kissufim.

 The major sticking point in the ceasefire talks are the fire kites, balloons and border riots.

Israel says no ceasefire without their cessation.

Hamas refuses to stop them, claiming it is their 'right' to protest 'the occupation of our land' in whatever form they deem necessary.

(Hal Turner Note: In other words "Let us do what we want, whenever we want, however we want, to whomever we want and how dare you try and stop us!"  These people are out of their minds and out of touch with reality. It seems to me that the _only_ way to put an end to these troubles is full scale invasion, drive the entire population into Egypt's Sinai and build a wall to keep them out forever.  Then Bulldoze the entire Gaza Strip, sell off parcels of land to developers/investors, build hotels, casinos, parks, a boardwalk with rides and piers and beautiful, combed beaches for peaceful Israelis and visitors to enjoy forever, and be done with it all.)

UPDATE 2:00 PM EDT --

 

Sirens in Netivot.

Palestinian sources in Gaza: Hamas armed wing decided to push for an escalation after understanding that humanitarian benefits and a long range truce with Israel could only happen after an armed conflict in Gaza 

Palestinian media is laying it on thick. They're showing images of buildings hit by Israel next to pictures of 'parks' that supposedly sit right next to ALL of them, filled with 'children at play.' The coverage basically conveys "How could Israel target those buildings then they can clearly see children right next door?"   Funny how they don't find anything wrong with shooting their rockets into Israeli kindergartens though.

UPDATE 2:06 PM EDT --

 

ISRAEL PUBLICLY NOTIFYING ITS CITIZENS: "Tomorrow around the country, expect to see heavy traffic of security forces, military vehicles and aircraft." 

 MULTIPLE RED ALERT SIRENS GAZA BORDER REGION -- incoming large missile barrage ! ! !

-------------  UPDATE 3:12 PM EDT -- 

 

Unconfirmed reports that the Egyptian mediated ceasefire plan has faltered.

Residents of Gaza say they are very worried there will be a new war, families are apparently rushing out to buy supplies fearing the worst. Families in southern #Israel are also fearful that this escalation will only get worse. Hoping all are safe tonight. 

UPDATE 4:40 PM EDT --

 

Palestinian media reports the launch of 30 molotov balloons towards Israel.

WIDESPREAD RUMORS: CEASE-FIRE BEGAN 11:15 PM ISRAEL TIME.  QUIET FOR LESS THAN TWO HOURS, THEN ATTACKS FROM GAZA BEGAN ANEW.

UPDATE 5:55 PM EDT --

Many more rocket and mortar launches from Gaza into Israel.

IDF responding with air strikes, artillery and tank fire.   

(HAL TURNER NOTE: On June 5, 1967, in an overheated political atmosphere, weeks after Egypt blockaded the Straits of Tiran and cut off Israeli shipping, Israel launched an attack against Egypt, beginning the Six-Day War. It rapidly defeated the surrounding Arab states and took control of, among other areas, the Gaza Strip.   Most of the people living there today wee not even ALIVE when that land was conquered, yet they still claim the land is "theirs."   Foolish perception, but no excuse for launching "Molotv Balloons into Israel to set fire to whatever they hit.  No excuse for firing rockets and mortars into Israel.  These people are bringing Israeli military reprisals UPON THEMSELVES.)

UPDATE 6:25 PM EDT --

Local source says that Israeli warplanes are conducting a new wave of airstrikes on Gaza on this moment 

IDF strike reported in Khan Younis. Gaza 

Israel is reportedly conducting bombing runs on al-Tuffah inside Gaza City.

IAF strikes just occurred moments ago against a Qassam site in Gaza City

Members of military factions inside of Gaza are reportedly trying to fire at drones and aircraft inside of the Gaza Strip

*** BULLETIN ***

UPDATE 6:29 PM EDT --

 

The IDF have now announced the largest mobilization since "Protective Edge" in 2014. Also the largest prepping of military aircraft since that time is now underway.

This is now the biggest Israeli military operation since Cast Lead and Protective Edge operations.Also, the Palestinians have fired more projectiles in daylight hours than in any time in the last 4 years too. 

173 mortars/rockets fired in to Israel today