Eilat bomb mastermind killed in Gaza strike: Israel

08/12/2011GAZA CITY, (AFP) — Two Gaza militants were killed in an Israeli strike on Thursday, Palestinian medics said, with Israel saying one of them had planned a deadly bombing in Eilat in 2007. The two men had also been planning another attack on southern Israel by infiltrating from the Sinai peninsula, the Israeli military said in a statement issued shortly after it targeted a car in Gaza City, killing the two men and injuring four others, medics said. The military said it had targeted Issam al-Batsh, a senior member of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, an armed off-shoot of the Fatah movement, "as well as an additional terrorist."

"These terrorists were both affiliated with a terrorist squad that intended to execute a terrorist attack against Israeli civilians and Israeli Defence Forces soldiers via the western border," the statement said. Read full article at Asharq Al-Awsat [link to www.asharq-e.com]



IDF strike was a targeted hit on a terrorist in the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade who plotted to commit terror attacks against Israeli citizens and security forces through the Gaza border.
The IDF confirmed that an Israeli air strike was carried out in the central Gaza Strip.



INN: [link to www.israelnationalnews.com]

The IDF said that its aircraft hit sites of terror activity in southern Gaza another terrorist site in northern Gaza, and that accurate hits on target were reported.
A military spokesman said: "The IDF will not stand any attempt to hurt the citizens of the state of Israel and IDF soldiers and will continue to take resolute and forceful action against any element that employs terror against the state of Israel. Terror organization Hamas is the address and it bears the responsibility."
Gaza terrorists fired five rockets at Israel's southern population centers Thursday. Of these, two exploded in open spaces in and near Ashkelon, and one struck near Be'er Sheva.


INN: [link to www.israelnationalnews.com]
The IDF "regrets the casualties among uninvolved persons but emphasizes once again that the responsibility rests with Hamas, which chooses to operate from within the civilian population and uses it as a human shield."