Rockets Strike Western Negev Over Sabbath
21:07 Oct 21, '06 / 29 Tishrei 5767
by Ezra HaLevi

Rockets fired from Gaza struck towns and communities in the western Negev Friday and Saturday, injuring residents and disrupting life in the region. IDF anti-tunnel operations continue.

Four Kassam rockets were fired from northern Gaza toward areas in the western Negev and in the direction of the city of Ashkelon Saturday.

Friday night, as residents gathered in synagogues in the town of Sderot, two rockets struck, one of them landing in a family’s backyard, wounding one person in the chest with shrapnel. The other lightly injured two people. Others were treated for shock.

Five other rockets were fired Friday morning. One more was fired in the afternoon, landing near Ashkelon’s chemical and power facilities.

IDF Continues Anti-Tunnel Operations
The IDF continues to make its way systematically across the Philadelphi Corridor, between the Egyptian and Gazan sides of the smuggling capital of Rafiah. Additional tunnels were discovered, including one that led inside a private home. During the night, the IDF carried out an aerial attack on the building after warning residents to leave structures containing such tunnels and weapons storage facilities.

An anti-tank rocket was fired at IDF soldiers taking part in the tunnel-locating operation.

Several tunnels have also been discovered leading from Gaza toward the western Negev region surrounding the PA-controlled area that Israel withdrew from during last year’s Disengagement Plan. The tunnels were near completion, leading IDF officials to believe additional attacks are in the works.

In June, terrorists used such a tunnel to sneak into Israel and attack an IDF position near the community of Kerem Shalom from behind, killing two soldiers and capturing Corporal Gilad Shalit, who remains in Hamas hands.

Egypt Intercepts Arms Shipment
Egyptian police, under fire for inaction in preventing the large-scale smuggling on their side of the border, announced Friday that they had intercepted a large arms shipment that was on its way to Gaza.

The Egyptians arrested three Bedouins with 200 crates of assault rifles and ammunition early Friday in the village of Ballouza, 100 km from the border. They said the men confessed to planning to use underground tunnels to smuggle the weapons into Rafiah.

Counter-Terror Arrests
IDF soldiers involved in counter-terrorism operations throughout Judea and Samaria during the night arrested four wanted terrorists in Ramallah and Hevron.

In Shechem, soldiers were targeted by terrorist gunfire. There were no reports of injuries to soldiers, however.