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Israel Bombs Gaza

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In Retaliation for Roadside Bomb Attack

Palestinians Retaliate with Rocket Attack

1-28-09

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Editor's Note: These incidents just happened in the past few hours. It's unclear at this early stage whether or not Israel will resume its war with Gaza. Tensions are reported to be very high at the moment. As a result, The A-O Report is posting a 24-hour YELLOW ALERT - to let readers know the situation remains fluid for a possible resumption of hostilities. This new alert would have a 24 hour time limit where A-O will remain monitoring and posting with alerts as needed. If nothing else develops, it will vanish automatically after 24 hours.

When we initially posted just the Israeli bombing we stated that most likely this situation will blow over and nothing further would develop. within a couple of hours of our posting that comment, the Palestinians responsded with a single rocket attack.

This relation then may or may not be treated as an isolated incident by Israel. Initially Israel used the first incidnet of an attack on a border patrol as an excuse for Israel to bomb newly built smuggling tunnels that have been freshly dug in the last 9 days. Now that there is a rocket attack, it remains to be seen how Israel will respond.

We are picking up some additional intelligence and await further confirmation or denial before posting what will most likely be a second Intelligence Briefing update, later today on Wednesday, This intelligence update would be posted on the "Insider Report pages for AO Donors if there is corroboratoin of what we're picking up, thus we may have proper information to post a 2nd update on that portion of the website.

Tensions in the region remain very high, as new evidence emerges of fresh Iranian weapons shipments being discovered aboard freighters in the Red Sea. We'll have more on new intelligence discoveries in our "A-O Insider Report" special pages for donors in a special report shortly.

See also a new A-O News article regarding the IISS think-tank's warning that Iran could build its first nuclear bomb in 2009. - LINK HERE.

 

Israel Bombs Gaza

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(A-O Newswire) -- Israeli warplanes have once again swung into action. The BBC reports that Isareli jets bombed tunnels along the southern Gaza-Egyptian border early Wednesday morning.

Hamas and Palestinians workers had begun building new tunnels shortly after the ceasefire took effect 9 days ago. Israel had gone to war against Hamas, in part to halt the illegal smuggling of weapons via a network of hundreds of tunnels, most of which were destroyed in the 22 day war.

Wednedsay morning's bombing runs triggered a panic in the Gaza city of Rafah, on the border with Egypt.

The bombing was the second time in two days that Israel had violated the ceasefire agreement. On Tuesday,  an Israeli military vehicle patrolling the border was struck by a roadside bomb, killing one soldier and wounding three others. In response, Israel sent a small contingent of troops backed by helicopter gunships, back into Gaza briefly as a probe. Prime Minister Olmert warned that the action was just an initial reaction with Israel's full response still to come.

The bombing incident comes as White House Peace Envoy, George Mitchell arrives in Israel for talks on ways to revive peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. The action also comes with just over weeks until Israel's general election.

It is not clear at this point whether further escalation will develop or not. For more details, BBC report, LINK HERE.  Sky News LINK.  Reuter's Newswire LINK.

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Hamas Retaliates Against Airstrikes

Fires Rocket Into Israel

A Palestinian rocket was fired into Israel, early Wednesday morning, apparently in response to an Israeli air strike which was conducted in retaliation for a Palestinian attack on an Israeli border patrol Tuesday morning.

The latest rocket attack raises the possibility of an escalation in retaliations that could shatter the 9-day old truce, which halted a 22-day war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

No injuries were reported in the rocket attack. The rocket landed in the Negev desert area of southern Israel.The rocket launch came just a few hours after an Israeli air strike bombed the Gaza border region where new smuggler's tunnels were being developed.

Residents of Rafah bgan fleeing their homes in panic amidst the air raid.

The security cabinet is to meet Wednesday to discuss security projects, but the situation in Gaza might also be discussed.

Olmert, noting that he had termed the cease-fire "fragile," also said: "We don't even call it a cease-fire but a holding of fire in the face of Hamas infractions, so that we can retain the IDF's freedom of action."

Defense Minister Ehud Barak decided to strike Hamas targets in response to the death of the tracker.

"We do not intend to gloss over incidents like these," Barak said. "We will not let Hamas and its outgrowths continue their hostile acts of terror. Anyone who hits us will have to absorb a serious blow in the future, too."

For more details on the rocket attack, the air strike and the situation in general, LINK HERE.

 

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