The alertness of soldiers operating in Gaza on Thursday afternoon averted what appears would have been a major attack as well as a possible attempt to abduct soldiers into Gaza.

During the afternoon hours, as rockets pounded the region, soldiers detected a bulldozer approaching rapidly in the area of the community of Netiv HaAsarah. IDF soldiers fired automatic weapons and anti-tank rockets at the bulldozer, bringing it to a halt. The terrorists did manage to flee.

Military officials report that the terrorists were using the barrage of rocket fire as a diversion, hoping to perpetrate a major attack near the border and possibly kidnap soldiers into Gaza.

Similar attacks were seen over recent months, near Kerem Shalom on Pesach when to vehicles were detonated, and the more recent truck laden with explosives was detonated near Erez.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)