‘January rockets from Gaza towards Tel Aviv were intentional’ – defense establishment
The Israeli defense establishment thought a month ago that rockets launched towards Tel Aviv that landed in the Mediterranean were an accident. They now think the opposite.
By TAL LEV RAM/MAARIV
A Palestinian boy takes part in a protest against the decision of an Egyptian court to list Hamas’ armed wing as a terrorist organization, in Rafah near the border between southern Gaza Strip and Egypt February 5, 2015.
(photo credit: IBRAHEEM ABU MUSTAFA/REUTERS)
On January 1, 2022, two rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip, falling into the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Central Israel. New intelligence reports indicate that, contrary to Hamas’ claim that they were launched by accident, they were actually launched intentionally – towards Tel Aviv.
At the time, it was estimated that the rockets were launched due to a technical issue, which dictated Israel’s proportional response: An attack on a rocket manufacturing facility in Khan Yunis.
Israel’s current estimation is that it wasn’t Hamas behind the launch, but rather that other terrorist organizations are responsible for it, and Hamas either turned the other cheek or gave them the green light.
The security situation has been relatively quiet since Operation Guardian of the Walls in May, which is why the Israeli defense apparatus is concerned about actions Hamas is taking to finesse its military capabilities.
Iran has increased its aid to Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ,) specifically in the realm of weapons production and rocket precision.
According to defense officials, Hamas is choosing to keep relatively quiet now to strengthen itself for an escalation in the future.
Ramadan, a historically tense time period, is fast approaching in April, and the Palestinian Authority, which has been more moderate and more willing to cooperate with Israel, is losing its political strength in the West Bank.
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