Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Despite Last-Minute Changes, Senate Bill Deals Big Blow to Renewable Energy

21 hours ago

Trump-Backed Tax-Cut and Spending Bill Passes US Senate

23 hours ago

Homeland Security Secretary Noem Says CNN May Be Prosecuted Over Report on Migration App

23 hours ago

Israeli Officials to Hold Ceasefire Talks in Washington Amid Military Escalation in Gaza

1 day ago

Trump Escalates Feud With Musk, Threatens Tesla, SpaceX Support

1 day ago

Musk Vows to Punish Lawmakers Who Back Trump’s Spending Bill

2 days ago

Will Valadao Spoil Trump’s Plan for July 4th ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Signing?

2 days ago

Shaver Lake and Reedley 4th of July Shows Are Wednesday. Who Else Is Celebrating?

2 days ago
Israel Hits Gaza Amid Rocket Fire, Palestinian Deaths Rise
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 6 years ago on
November 13, 2019

Share

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Israeli airstrikes pounded Islamic Jihad targets in Gaza on Wednesday and militants resumed rocket fire toward Israel after a brief overnight lull, as the death toll rose to 23 Palestinians, including a 7-year-old boy and two other minors, in the heaviest round of fighting in months.
The military said more than 250 rockets were fired at Israeli communities since the violence erupted following an Israeli airstrike that killed a senior Islamic Jihad commander. With the strike, Israel stepped up its battle against Iran and its proxies across the region.
The latest fighting brought life in much of Israel to a standstill. Schools were closed in Israeli communities near the Gaza border and restrictions on public gatherings continued as rockets rained down. Air raid sirens continued to wail throughout the day.
In Gaza, schools and public institutions also were closed for a second day and there were few cars were on the streets, with people mostly staying indoors.
The fighting was triggered early Tuesday by Israel’s targeted killing of Bahaa Abu el-Atta and his wife as they were sleeping. Rocket fire from Gaza reached as far north as Tel Aviv, with two people wounded by shrapnel.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told a special Cabinet meeting that Israel has no interest in sparking a wider confrontation but warned the Iranian-backed Islamic Jihad that Israel will keep pounding them until the rockets stop.

Palestinian Officials Reported 23 Dead From Israeli Airstrikes

“They know we will continue to strike them without mercy,” Netanyahu said. “They have one choice: either stop these attacks or absorb more and more blows.”

“They know we will continue to strike them without mercy. They have one choice: either stop these attacks or absorb more and more blows.” — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Gaza’s Hamas rulers have yet to enter the fray — a possible sign the current violence could be brief. Although larger and more powerful than Islamic Jihad, Hamas is also more pragmatic. With Gaza’s economy in tatters, it appears to have little desire for more fighting with Israel.
But Hamas could be drawn in if the clashes drag on for an extended period or the Palestinian death toll rises significantly.
Palestinian officials reported 23 dead from Israeli airstrikes, including at least 13 militants. Five civilians, including boys ages 17, 16 and 7, were among the dead, while the identities of the other people killed were not immediately known.
Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, an Israeli military spokesman, said the army was trying to limit its activities to Islamic Jihad military targets in hopes of keeping Hamas on the sidelines and preventing a serious escalation.
“However, it’s very clear that if there will be Israeli casualties, the situation would change drastically and we would be forced to respond in a different manner,” he said.
U.N. Mideast envoy Nickolay Mladenov said negotiators are “working to urgently de-escalate” the fighting.
Photo of Israeli police sappers
Israeli police sappers remove a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip in farmland near the Israel Gaza border, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2019. Israeli military said more than 250 rockets have been fired at Israeli communities since the violence erupted following an Israeli airstrike that killed a senior Islamic Jihad commander. (AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov)

No Israeli Deaths Have Been Caused by the Rockets Attacks

In a statement released in Cairo, where he was to meet President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi as part of efforts to broker a cease-fire, Mladenov said he was “very concerned about the ongoing and serious escalation” of violence.
Egypt frequently mediates between Israel and Gaza militants. Islamic Jihad has rejected the efforts, with spokesman Musab al-Berim saying the group’s priority is to “respond to the crime and confront the Israeli aggression.”
The French Foreign Ministry urged restraint by both side, saying it deplores the escalation of tensions and condemns the rocket fire toward Israel.
Israel’s new defense minister, Naftali Bennett, said Israel wouldn’t hesitate to carry out additional targeted killings against those who threaten it. “Israeli security forces will hunt down every terrorist, until our children are secure and safe,” he said.
Netanyahu appointed him to fortify his hard-line political base as he clings to office after two inconclusive elections. Bennett has long advocated tougher action against Palestinian militants but wasn’t part of the plans to strike Abu el-Atta.
No Israeli deaths have been caused by the rockets attacks, mostly thanks to Israel’s Iron Dome defense system, which the military said has had a 90% success rate when deployed.
A few homes suffered direct hits, though, and there was a near miss on a major highway, where a rocket crashed just after a vehicle had passed.

Israel Frequently Strikes Iranian Interests in Syria

In Gaza, the Islamic Jihad said four militants were killed, including 38-year-old Khaled Faraj, a brigade commander. Four others were killed in an airstrike, including a father and two sons, and two others were targeted later. Their identities were unclear.

Netanyahu also has claimed Iran is using Iraq and far-off Yemen, where Tehran supports Shiite Houthi rebels at war with a Saudi-led coalition backing the government, to plan attacks against Israel. Hamas also receives some support from Iran.
Along with Tuesday’s airstrike in Gaza, another one attributed to Israel targeted a senior Islamic Jihad commander based in Syria. The strikes appeared to be a new surge in the open warfare between Israel and Iranian proxies in the region.
Iran has forces based in Syria, Israel’s northern neighbor, and supports Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. In Gaza, it supplies Islamic Jihad with cash, weapons and expertise.
Netanyahu also has claimed Iran is using Iraq and far-off Yemen, where Tehran supports Shiite Houthi rebels at war with a Saudi-led coalition backing the government, to plan attacks against Israel. Hamas also receives some support from Iran.
Israel frequently strikes Iranian interests in Syria but its attack in Damascus appeared to be a rare assassination attempt there of a Palestinian militant.
Despite the disruption to daily life, there appeared to be widespread support in Israel for the targeting of Abu el-Atta.
Photo of Israeli missile
An Israeli Iron Dome air defense system missile is seen intercepting rockets fired from Gaza over Sderot, southern Israel, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2019. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

The Military Operation Was Approved by the Cabinet 10 Days in Advance

Conricus, the military spokesman, said Abu el-Atta was in the final stages of planning a “combined attack” that was to include rockets, anti-tank missiles and a ground infiltration into Israel.
Netanyahu said the military operation was approved by the Cabinet 10 days in advance.
Still, some opposition figures suggested the timing could not be divorced from the political reality in Israel, where Netanyahu leads a caretaker government while his chief challenger, former military chief Benny Gantz, is trying to build a coalition government of his own.
Despite their rivalry, both men support a unity government, but each demands to be its leader.
Gantz said he’d been briefed on the airstrike in advance, calling it “the right decision.” Netanyahu updated his rival on developments later, according to his office.
A successful military operation could bolster Netanyahu as he seeks to hold onto power — especially if he is indicted on corruption charges.
Israel’s attorney general is to decide in the coming weeks whether to indict Netanyahu. An indictment would increase pressure on him to step aside. Netanyahu has sought to portray himself as one best capable of steering the country through its many security challenges.
[activecampaign form=29]

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Trump Pulls Back 150 Guard Troops From Federal Duties in California

DON'T MISS

Trump Says Israel Has Agreed to Conditions to Finalize 60-Day Gaza Ceasefire

DON'T MISS

Fresno County Man Arrested for Suspected Arson Hours After Separate Wildfire

DON'T MISS

New California Environmental Rollbacks Could Boost Housing Projects in Fresno

DON'T MISS

Iran Made Preparations to Mine the Strait of Hormuz, US Sources Say

DON'T MISS

Fresno Unified’s Embattled Nikki Henry Exits. ‘I Own My Mistake. I Won’t Let It Own Me.’

DON'T MISS

Trump Floats Daughter-in-Law Lara Trump for Senate Run in North Carolina

DON'T MISS

Google Hit With $314 Million US Verdict in Cellular Data Class Action

DON'T MISS

Tulare County Wildfire Prompts Advisory in Three Rivers Area

DON'T MISS

O’Brien Launches Fresno County Schools Chief Campaign by Handing Out ‘Homework’

UP NEXT

Trump Says Israel Has Agreed to Conditions to Finalize 60-Day Gaza Ceasefire

UP NEXT

Iran Made Preparations to Mine the Strait of Hormuz, US Sources Say

UP NEXT

Trump Says US Could Reach Trade Deal With India, Casts Doubt on Deal With Japan

UP NEXT

France Shuts Schools, Italy Limits Outdoor Work as Heatwave Grips Europe

UP NEXT

Israeli Officials to Hold Ceasefire Talks in Washington Amid Military Escalation in Gaza

UP NEXT

Where Trade Talks Stand With Major US Partners Ahead of Tariffs-Hike Deadline

UP NEXT

Suspect Identified in Ambush Shooting That Killed 2 Idaho Firefighters

UP NEXT

935 People Killed in Israeli Strikes on Iran, Official Says

UP NEXT

US Revokes Visas for Bob Vylan After Music Duo’s Glastonbury Chants

UP NEXT

Israel Acknowledges Palestinian Civilians Harmed at Gaza Aid Sites, Says ‘Lessons Learned’

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Convicted on Prostitution Counts, but Cleared of More Serious Charges

27 minutes ago

Trump Pulls Back 150 Guard Troops From Federal Duties in California

15 hours ago

Trump Says Israel Has Agreed to Conditions to Finalize 60-Day Gaza Ceasefire

16 hours ago

Fresno County Man Arrested for Suspected Arson Hours After Separate Wildfire

16 hours ago

New California Environmental Rollbacks Could Boost Housing Projects in Fresno

16 hours ago

Iran Made Preparations to Mine the Strait of Hormuz, US Sources Say

17 hours ago

Fresno Unified’s Embattled Nikki Henry Exits. ‘I Own My Mistake. I Won’t Let It Own Me.’

17 hours ago

Trump Floats Daughter-in-Law Lara Trump for Senate Run in North Carolina

17 hours ago

Google Hit With $314 Million US Verdict in Cellular Data Class Action

17 hours ago

Tulare County Wildfire Prompts Advisory in Three Rivers Area

18 hours ago

Four Rescued After Kings River Float Turns Dangerous

Four young men were rescued Tuesday afternoon after getting stranded during a float down the Kings River, authorities said. The group ran in...

34 seconds ago

Four young men were rescued from the Kings River in Sanger on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, after getting stranded in rapids, thanks to life jackets, a rescue boat, and a sheriff’s helicopter. (Fresno County SO)
34 seconds ago

Four Rescued After Kings River Float Turns Dangerous

Palestinians inspect the damage at the site of an overnight Israeli air strike on a tent sheltering displaced people, in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, July 2, 2025. REUTERS/Hatem Khaled TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
17 minutes ago

Hamas Says It Is Studying Ceasefire Proposal Labelled ‘Final’ by Trump

Traders work on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., July 1, 2025. (Reuters/Jeenah Moon)
21 minutes ago

Wall Street Edges Down After ADP Shock. Focus on Trade Talks, Payrolls Data

Sean "Diddy" Combs and his attorney Marc Agnifilo discuss with other defense lawyers on how to respond to a new note sent by jurors, during Combs' sex trafficking trial in New York City, New York, U.S., July 1, 2025 in this courtroom sketch. REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg
27 minutes ago

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Convicted on Prostitution Counts, but Cleared of More Serious Charges

15 hours ago

Trump Pulls Back 150 Guard Troops From Federal Duties in California

An Israeli military convoy manoeuvres near the Israel-Gaza border, as seen from Israel, July 1, 2025. (Reuters/Amir Cohen)
16 hours ago

Trump Says Israel Has Agreed to Conditions to Finalize 60-Day Gaza Ceasefire

Abel Joel Garcia Zarate, 39, of Biola, was arrested Sunday, June, 30, 2025, in Madera County on suspicion of starting a wildfire just hours after crews responded to a separate blaze sparked by farm equipment. (Madera County SO)
16 hours ago

Fresno County Man Arrested for Suspected Arson Hours After Separate Wildfire

16 hours ago

New California Environmental Rollbacks Could Boost Housing Projects in Fresno

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend