On Sunday, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz announced an increase in troop deployments along Israel’s borders to Egypt and Sinai. It was then announced that Routes 10 and 12 in southern Israel remain closed to civilian vehicular traffic in response to ‘hot warnings’, credible intelligence community information pointing to a planned major attack in the area – an area that was hit earlier this month in a  major attack that claimed eight lives.

On Tuesday morning, senior Defense Ministry official Amos Gilad confirmed the security establishment is acting on credible intelligence community warnings to prevent an attack.

While visiting a Sderot area factory on Tuesday morning, Homefront Minister Matan Vilnai confirmed that Israel has ascertained that a minimum of ten terrorists have left Gaza for Sinai, and from there they will attempt to infiltrate into Israel to perpetrate another major attack.

Appropriate measures are being taken, including those mentioned above, as well as the Israel Navy positioning a two missile ships in the Red Sea area.

In the meantime, Egyptian media reports that at least 1,500 local forces escorted by tanks are operating in a major sweep in Sinai, seeking out “jihad cells” in that area as the Muslim community celebrates id el-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan.

After the last attack earlier this month on Route 12, Israel has urged all citizens to immediately evacuate vacation resorts in Sinai, stressing the mounting dangers to Israelis in that area as terrorists are working to abduct and kill Israeli citizens.

Israeli officials stress there is no need for panic but simultaneously stress the intelligence warnings are indeed very credible – prompting the widespread response.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)