HAMAS ATTACKED AGAIN, ISRAEL RESPONDED

The Hamas fired rockets yet again in the past 2 days, and the IDF thankfully reacted. From CNN (via The Other McCain):

Israel launched a series of airstrikes in Gaza starting late Friday in response to a rocket assault on Ashkelon earlier in the day.

The Israel Defense Forces said the strikes targeted three locations in Gaza: a Hamas “terror-activity site” in the north, a weapons manufacturing site in central Gaza and a weapons smuggling tunnel in Rafah.

The first strike around 11:30 p.m. (4:30 p.m. ET) hit a runway near the compound of the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, which is now occupied by Hamas.

From MSNBC:

[T]he attack ended over a year of calm for the Israeli city closest to Gaza.
A police spokesman said the rocket was a 122mm, Chinese-made Grad, with a heavier payload and greater range than the crude, homemade rockets Gaza militants were launching daily until Israel’s three-week military offensive into Gaza 18 months ago.

Ashkelon, with a population of 125,000, lies on the coast about 12 km (7 miles) north of the Gaza Strip. The mayor said it was the most serious attack on the city since Israel wound up its offensive in January 2009, largely ending Gaza rocket fire.

The downside here is the Islamic Jihad's threat to resume suicide attacks. The IDF is going to have to prepare for the possibilities, which could happen.

The best thing about this for now though, is that a senior Hamas rocket builder was killed in the raid. The monster's name was Issa Batran, and he fully deserved what he got.