IDF Forces Hit Back at Gaza After Rocket Attack

IDF forces early Wednesday hit Hamas terror targets in Gaza. The targets were hit in response to a rocket that was fired at Israeli territory Tuesday night. The rocket hit an open area near Ashkelon, in southern Israel. No injuries nor damage were reported. Residents of several Gaza border fence-area towns were alerted to take cover by the Red Alert missile warning system. IDF officials said that it considered Hamas responsible for all attacks on Israel perpetrated by Gaza Arab terrorists.

IDF forces overnight Tuesday arrested Sheikh Hassan Yussuf, a top Hamas terrorist in Yehudah and Shomron. Yussuf has been in and out of Israeli prisons for over two decades on a variety of security charges. He was arrested on charges of being involved in the murders of Israeli teens Naftali Frenkel, Gilad Shaer and Eyal Yifrach, Hy”d, in June 2014, which led directly to Operation Protective Edge, Israel’s most recent major battle with Hamas.

Security forces also conducted an operation in El Fawar, an Arab village in the Chevron area. A major riot took place in the village last Thursday, with hundreds of Arabs facing off against Israeli soldiers with life-threatening bricks, blocks, guns and firebombs. Soldiers made several arrests and seized weapons that were used in the riot, including handguns and rifles.

Overnight Tuesday, security officials said they arrested 32 wanted security suspects in other areas across Yehudah and Shomron. The suspects were wanted for participating in rioting and throwing stones and firebombs that endangered Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers. Several of the suspects were also charged with belonging to Hamas. All were being questioned on their activities by security forces.