Following is a brief recap of the warfare in Eretz Yisrael over shabbos.

As was already published by YWN-NYC on Friday afternoon, sirens sounded in Yerushalayim on Friday night while mispallalim were in shul. Baruch Hashem that rocket landed without loss of life or physical injuries, falling short of it’s indeed target. Sirens also sounded in Gush Etzion.

Friday night was relatively quiet in the south and some areas actually went over 11 hours without a rocket attack. That all changed during the late morning hours on shabbos. Rockets began activating alarm sirens and the Iron Dome as the entire southern area was under attack once again.

Miraculously, there were no physical injuries from rockets. One woman in Be’er Tuvia explains her “miracle” as she took cover in their safe room and the rocket landed outside where they were standing moments earlier.

There were a number of ‘direct hits’ to homes and property, and one rocket fired to the Eshkol Regional Council district left three IDF soldiers with light shrapnel injuries.

IDF Homefront Command officials are pleading with the public, instructing residents to look at maps to learn how much time exists between siren and impact, to know where the nearest shelter is, and to plan a route where one will run in the event of an attack. In short, adhering to Homefront Command directives saves lives.

Later in the day the rocket attacks continues sporadically. As shabbos was coming to an end sirens sounded again in Tel Aviv. That rocket landed without loss of life and injuries too.

The inner cabinet met on Friday night, made kiddush and motzei, and then got down to business. As was reported by YWN World Desk, approval was given for activating up to 75,000 reservists. That is not to say these soldiers will be called up, but the approval was given, permitting the defense minister to act if and when necessary.

Over 1,000 residents of the rocket strike areas spent shabbos in Shomron as part of the ongoing program in Shomron, “We Embrace Our Brothers in the South with  Love”.

Down in the south, somewhere in proximity to the Gaza border, troops remain ‘on the ready’ for the order to begin a ground force operation. If such an operation is launched, the infantry will be escorted by an array of armored vehicles, tanks and with an umbrella of IAF support.

After the sirens have sounded in both Yerushalayim and Tel Aviv, the country is now in a ‘war mode’, and while life continues more or less without disruption north of the 40km area from the Gaza border the population has shifted gear, many seeing their loved ones packing bags and reporting for duty, wondering if they will return.

Israel Police, MDA, Ichud Hatzalah, and Zaka all remain on high operational alert status. Police are working to prevent a terror attack inside Israel, aware the terrorists are highly motivated to perpetrate a ‘quality attack’ against Israelis at this time.

The Siyata Dishmaya over the past days has been overwhelming as over 650 rockets have been fired at Eretz Yisrael in the first days of the warfare. The IAF motzei shabbos reports 300 sorties were carried out over Gaza over shabbos. as a result, a number of additional senior terrorist commanders have been eliminated. Also eliminated were the central police headquarters in Gaza City, as well as the office of Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, the very same office seen on international television when Haniyeh held a press conference on Friday standing alongside Egypt’s prime minister, who was visiting Gaza.

Senior Hamas leaders are hiding out in mosques and hospitals, using civilians as a shield the hope the IAF technology will not snuff them out along with the growing list of senior terrorists already eliminated.

The air force announced on shabbos that a fifth Iron Battery became operational, expanding the coverage of the defense system. For obvious reasons the location of the battery is not disclosed.

NOTE: For the live blog from (Day 4) after Shabbos ended until midnight Motzei Shabbos CLICK HERE.

CLICK HERE FOR THE YWN LIVE BLOG FROM DAY 3 OF OPERATION PILLAR OF DEFENSE

CLICK HERE FOR THE YWN LIVE BLOG FROM DAY 2 OF OPERATION PILLAR OF DEFENSE

CLICK HERE FOR THE YWN LIVE BLOG FROM DAY 1 OF OPERATION PILLAR OF DEFENSE

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)