afah Border Crossing, Israel (CNN)– Strikes flew across the Gaza border in rapid succession Thursday, as Israel responded to an onslaught of militant rocket attacks by targeting “terror sites.”
The sudden increase in violence has raised fears of a widening conflict that could lead to an Israeli ground assault.
At least 245 rockets from Gaza have been fired into Israel since “Operation Pillar of Defense” began Wednesday, the Israeli military said. Israel’s Iron Dome defense system has intercepted more than 80, the Israel Defense Forces said. And Israel has responded by targeting 156 “terror sites,” the IDF said.
Sources with Hamas, which controls the government in Gaza, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad gave similar figures, saying more than 140 strikes have hit Gaza and that more than 160 rockets and shells have been fired into Israel.
At least three Israelis were killed and four were wounded when a rocket struck an apartment building in the town of Kiryat Malakhi on Thursday, an Israeli police spokesman said. “Good morning to our friends in America,” the IDF tweeted. “While you were sleeping, 3 Israelis were killed when a rocket hit their house.”
source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/11/15/world/meast/gaza-israel-strike/index.html?hpt=hp_t1
