IDF Southern District Commander Major-General Sami Turgeman told the heads of Gaza border communities that Israel is not about to launch a new military operation in Gaza in response to the recent firing of a number of rockets. The senior commander did state that the IDF will continue responding appropriately. This means the IAF will continue targeting terrorists in Gaza in strikes carried out during the night.

According to Turgeman, the Hamas regime in Gaza is working to prevent the sporadic rocket fire as ISIS-affiliated terrorists claimed responsibility for the latest attacks on Motzei Shabbos and last week.

Community leaders told the senior officer they rely upon the IDF to respond and act appropriately.

The head of the S’dot Negev Regional Council, Tamir Idan, is calling on the IDF to consider changing the siren in their area to the “color red’ alert as in Sderot to ease the anxiety for residents.

Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon after the motzei Shabbos rocket fire that landed south of Ashkelon warned that Israel views the Hamas regime responsible for any and all rocket fire over the border from Gaza, adding even sporadic rocket fire would not be tolerated. The IAF retaliated to all rocket attacks striking terrorists targets in Gaza.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)