Israel vowed a tough response to rocket attacks from Gaza terror groups, which erupted after an IDF mission on Sunday evening resulted in the death of a senior Hamas commander and an Israeli intelligence officer.
By Associated Press and World Israel News Staff
Monday evening capped off a day of intense rocket attacks mounted by Palestinian terror groups operating in the Gaza Strip.
The IDF reported that over 200 rockets had been fired from the coastal enclave, injuring at least 16 people, including a 19-year-old soldier who remained in critical condition.
One mortar exploded as it hit a bus, just moments after dozens of soldiers had exited it.
Gaza’s Hamas rulers and the smaller Islamic Jihad group both took credit for the rocket barrage, which rained down on Israel’s south on Monday.
Israel’s military said it was prepared to step up its efforts against terrorists in the Gaza Strip if rocket fire continues, and by early Monday evening the IDF hit terrorist positions in the strip in around 30 strikes.
Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, a military spokesman, said Monday that Israel has boosted forces near the Gaza border with additional infantry troops, defensive systems and intelligence units.
Conricus told reporters that the army has so far struck more than 30 targets belonging to the Palestinian terror groups, warning that Hamas is “bringing destruction upon the Gaza Strip.”
Earlier in the day, Palestinian health officials claimed Israeli airstrikes in the northern Gaza Strip killed two people and wounded another three.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was slated to meet with his military chief and defense minister late Monday.
以色列誓言对来自加沙恐怖组织的火箭弹袭击作出强硬回应，以色列国防军星期日晚上的一次任务导致一名哈马斯高级指挥官和一名以色列情报官员死亡。
美联社和世界以色列新闻工作者
星期一晚上，加沙地带的巴勒斯坦恐怖组织发动了一次猛烈的火箭袭击。
以色列国防军报告说，从沿海飞地发射了200多枚火箭，造成至少16人受伤，包括一名仍处于危急状态的19岁士兵。
一枚迫击炮弹在撞上一辆公共汽车时爆炸，就在数十名士兵离开后不久。
加沙的哈马斯统治者和规模较小的伊斯兰圣战组织都对周一降落在以色列南部的火箭弹幕表示赞赏。
以色列军方说，如果火箭弹继续射击，以色列准备加紧打击加沙地带的恐怖分子，到星期一傍晚之前，以色列国防军在约30次袭击中袭击了加沙地带的恐怖分子阵地。
军方发言人乔纳森·康里克斯中校星期一说，以色列在加沙边界附近增派了部队，增派了步兵部队、防御系统和情报单位。
康里科斯告诉记者，到目前为止，军队已经击中了属于巴勒斯坦恐怖组织的30多个目标，警告哈马斯“正在对加沙地带造成破坏”。
当天早些时候，巴勒斯坦卫生官员声称以色列在加沙地带北部的空袭造成两人死亡，三人受伤。
以色列总理本雅明·内塔尼亚胡定于星期一晚些时候会见他的军事首长和国防部长。