BICOM

Key points

• A precision anti-tank missile fired from the Gaza Strip hit an Israeli school bus this afternoon, seriously injuring a 16-year-old boy and the bus driver.
• Following the attack, mortar shells and rockets were fired at Israeli towns in the western Negev, most of them hitting open areas.
• The Iron Dome missile defence system intercepted a Grad rocket fired from Gaza at the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon. This is the first time the system has been used since being deployed in the last few days.
• Israel military sources said the targeted attack on the school bus was crossing a ‘red line’. Israeli air and ground forces have fired at terror targets in the Gaza Strip following the bus attack.

The latest developments

• Today’s attack marks a significant escalation. This is the first time terror groups in Gaza have used advanced and precise weapons against a clearly civilian target. The school bus was clearly identifiable by its bright yellow colour. Approximately 50 children were on board moments before the strike. According to Israeli media reports, it was hit by a precision Kornet anti-tank missile fired from inside the Gaza Strip at a range of 2.5km. Until now, terror groups have fired imprecise rockets as populated areas, and used precision weapons against tanks.
• A barrage of nearly 50 rockets and mortars fired from Gaza into Israel followed the attack on the bus. The Home Front Command instructed residents in communities surrounding theGaza Strip to enter protected areas.
• The latest developments come after several weeks of increasing tension along Israel’s border with the Hamas-ruled Strip. Terror groups in Gaza have increased the rocket and mortar fire against Israeli communities in recent week:

o There were 50 attacks in March 2011 compared with 18 the previous month. These include: 38 rockets and 17 mortar shellslaunched at Israel, one small arms shooting and two anti-tank launchings.

o There was a significant leap in high-trajectory launchingstowards Israel, including the launching of Grad rocketsat the major cities of Ashkelon and Be’er Sheva.

 

• IDF forces have also prevented in recent days several attempts by armed Palestinians to approach the border fence, and have operated against groups trying to fire rockets and mortar shells into Israel.
• Today also saw the first successful deployment of the Iron Dome missile defence system to intercept a rocket fired from Gaza at Ashkelon. The system, which has only been deployed in the last few days, is designed to protect Israeli towns and military bases from short range rockets.
• A website of the Hamas military wing attributed today’s attack to ‘Palestinian resistance factions’ and said it came in response to an Israeli Air Force strike which killed three Hamas men near Khan Younis on Friday, who were preparing to kidnap an Israeli soldier.
• Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak made clear he held Hamas responsible for the attack.
• Israel’s reaction to the increase in rocket fire from Gaza in the last few weeks has been relatively measured until now, indicating that it has not been interested in seeing the situation escalate out of control.
• Israel responded to today’s attacks by targeting the source of rocket fire with tank shells and helicopters. Hamas authorities in the Gaza Strip reported that one man was killed.
• Today’s incidents also comes after a missile strike against a car near the Sudanese city of Port Sudan on Monday, reportedly killed Abd-al Latif Ashkar, a senior Hamas official reportedly responsible for the movement’s weapons’ smuggling operation from Iran through North Africa. Israel is strongly suspected of involvement, but has not accepted responsibility.

Read more:

• BICOM Briefing: Escalation in Gaza – 22/3/2011
• BICOM Expert View: Turmoil in the Middle East – An Israeli Perspective, by Brig Gen (Ret) Michael Herzog – 17/3/2011