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Last week witnessed an escalation in such attacks, with terrorists firing more than 60 rockets and mortars at Israel as Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad joined forces to attack Israel.
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JERUSALEM (EJP)--- Palestinian terrorists fired an anti-aircraft missile at an Israeli Air Force helicopter over Gaza last week, Israeli defense officials said.
It was the first known attempt to bring down an IAF craft using advanced missiles in Gaza.
The shoulder-fired missile – identified as the low-altitude Strela SA-7 – missed its target but according to military experts the development marks a dramatic escalation in the intentions and capabilities of Gaza-based terror organizations, .
The missile most likely originated in Libya, and was captured by rebels who helped overthrow the Kaddafi regime.
Tens of thousands of anti-aircraft missiles went missing in the aftermath of the Kaddafi regime’s overthrow. Israeli intelligence has long warned that many of them made their way from Libya and into the hands of Palestinian terrorist groups in the Gaza Strip, a suspicion that has now been confirmed.
Analysts and policymakers fear that in addition to targeting Israeli military assets, Palestinian terrorists armed with such shoulder-launched surface-to-air missiles will attempt to destroy a commercial airliner.
The concern has been a major source of Israeli reluctance to cede strategic areas in the West Bank which provide clear lines of vision to Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport.
Since January, Palestinians in Gaza have fired 637 rockets and mortars at Israel, as compared to 653 for all of 2011.
Last week witnessed an escalation in such attacks, with terrorists firing more than 60 rockets and mortars at Israel as Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad joined forces to attack Israel.
An Israeli Air Force (IAF) aircraft hit a Gaza terror activity site Wednesday morning, in retaliation for the rocket fire on Southern Israel, confirmed the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) on its official website.
According to the released statement: “The IDF will not tolerate any attempt to harm Israeli civilians, and will operate against anyone who uses terror against the State of Israel.” The IDF further alleged “the Hamas terror organisation is solely responsible for any terrorist activity emanating from the Gaza Strip”.
A spokesman added that the aircraft had issued direct hits on their targets before returning safely to base.
Palestinians fired two rockets late Tuesday, one of which landed in a residential area in Ashkelon, causing a degree of damage and two local residents to suffer hock following the attack. The second rocket landed in an open area in the Lachish region, causing no damage or injuries.
The IAF activity follows a weekend of increased activity which saw it strike various targets in Gaza. Israeli air forces have been on high alert since a foreign drone illegally entered Israeli airspace last Saturday. The unidentified aircraft, which Lebanese shiite group later claimed responsibility for was eventually shot down by the IAF on its second attempt.
After Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hezbollah of being behind the attack, he said he was “determined to defend our land, air and maritime borders” against any further attempts to infiltrate its air defence and intelligence infrastructures.