Massed Israeli Troops Poised For Gaza Invasion Following Death Of Senior Hamas Commander Ahmed Al-ja

[Purveyor]

Israeli troops massed on the Gaza border last night, poised for a possible ground invasion as Israel launched a major military operation it said was designed “to severely impair the command and control chain of the Hamas leadership, as well as its terrorist infrastructure.”

Military sources told The Independent that a ground invasion is “a distinct possibility,” with the army deploying extra infantry units near the Gaza border, halted major exercises, cancelled soldiers’ leave and mobilised some reserve forces.

The opening salvo of ‘Operation Pillar of Cloud’ was the pinpoint assassination by missile of the Hamas military commander, Ahmed al-Jabari, as he drove through Gaza City, followed by aerial attacks against targets throughout the Hamas-controlled enclave. At least seven Palestinians, including civilians, were reported dead.

Gaza residents ran for cover while Hamas evacuated ministries and security compounds as Israeli aircraft pounded targets across the Gaza Strip. It was the most extensive assault since Israel’s ill-starred ground invasion ended in January 2009.

MORE...

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/massed-israeli-troops-poised-for-gaza-invasion-following-death-of-senior-hamas-commander-ahmed-aljabari-8316615.html

[azurnoir]

1. Ha'aretz called it Operation Pillar of Defense

LIVE BLOG: Israel launches military operation in Gaza
Netanyahu: If necessary, we will expand Operation Pillar of Defense; Palestinians say 8 dead, 30 wounded; Israel strikes more than 20 targets in Gaza, killing Ahmed Jabari, who was behind the 2006 abduction of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit; Hamas: Israeli aggression will lead to war; Israel Police raises alert levels countrywide.

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9:25 P.M. Egypt recalls its ambassador to Tel Aviv for consultations in Cairo, in protest of IDF operations in Gaza; Israeli ambassador to Cairo expected to be summoned on Thursday to Egyptian Foreign Ministry (Haaretz)

9:18 P.M. Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter condemns rocket fire from Gaza against Israeli communities, the assassination of Ahmed Jabari, and other targeted attacks in Gaza (Natasha Mozgovaya)

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/live-blog-israel-launches-military-operation-in-gaza.premium-1.477850

[oberliner]

7. Like "Vanish from the Pages of Time" and "Wiped Off the Map"

Sometimes things get translated in odd ways.

[AnOhioan]

2. Idea...Hamas leadership and Bibi's cabinet duke it out in a boxing match.

Sounds way better than the suffering of innocents sure to occur in the next few weeks.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

5. Slam dunk for the Israelis

Much of Hamas leadership is not in Gaza and are best described as fat old men. All of the Israeli leadership has prior military experience, and Krav Maga is about as deadly as it comes.

[Ken Burch]

16. Better idea, then...create a special edition of "Call of Duty" for both sides to play.

Just so that the Likudniks and the Hamasniks go somewhere else and leave everybody else alone.

[bemildred]

3. Islamist Mursi recalls Egypt’s ambassador to Israel over Gaza

Egyptian President Mohammed Mursi decided on Wednesday to recall the ambassador to Israel after a series of air strikes in Gaza killed a top Hamas militant and six other people, his spokesman said.

Mursi decided to “recall Egypt’s ambassador to Israel,” spokesman Yassir Ali said in a statement broadcast on state television.

He also ordered the foreign ministry to summon Israel’s ambassador in Cairo.

Meanwhile, an airport source said on Wednesday that Israel’s ambassador left Egypt after Mursi announced he was summoning him to discuss the Israeli attacks in Gaza.

http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/11/14/249646.html

[Ohio4theWin]

4. Precursor to attacking Iran

Israel wants Hamas'a infrastructure and leadership damage as to minimize their capability to act against them after Iran's nuclear structures are attacked. Weaken the forces around you before shooting their comrade across the away. IMHO.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

6. Doubtful, in fact I could see the Hamas rockets as being a spoiler

Israel have very little reserves of material and fuel. Anything spent on Hamas will have to be replaced before anything against Iran could be launched.

[Ohio4theWin]

8. What has Israel used that needs to be replaced?

I don't see disrupting and killing off leadership in Hamas being a major stress on Israel resources.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

10. Depends just how much action they take

If this is a repeat of prior actions, a fair amount of jet fuel and munitions will be expended. Aircraft will also need work.

Generally you work up to a major attack. It takes planning, logistics, aircraft and other weapon systems readiness. If a different attack was being planned and in the works, this could delay it for an undetermined amount of time.

Just speculation...

[libodem]

9. That last dust up before Bush left

Last edited Sun Nov 18, 2012, 06:27 PM - Edit history (1)

Was a real piece of asymmetrical warfare. Murderous thugs.
They need a new excuse for a land grab. Killing the Palestinians with machine gun fire at random look less like an extrajudicial execution.
Bulldozers prevail. They must not be quite human.

Bet they were waiting for Robme to win, and have a little cheerleader team, for the second coming.




I'm doing an edit and not a delete because some of what I had to day was meaningful. Ah, man's search for meaning. You ever read Victor Frankle? Oh, the deplorable conditions in the concentration camps. I wonder what he would think of Gaza?

[King_David]

11. 'They need a new excuse for a land grab'

You do understand Israel had Gaza and left Gaza.

Why would they now want a 'land grab'?

Where do you get your information on Gaza from?

I have noticed with your few recent posts on Gaza a COMPLETE lack of understanding on your behalf on the Gaza file.

[libodem]

15. There was a

Moratorium on building. That expired when Israel expands its settlements they just kick the people living there out. They bulldoze down the dwellings and expell the family into the street. The Gaza strip is s shitty sandy piece of crap land that the Palestinians got chased out onto after the 68 war. Now if they want some building space they evicted the neighborhood and raze the shitty getto. No compensation and the are jailed or shot for fighting back. It's fucked up

And Ive read some deep history in the Source. I know my Hebrew history. We all read the Bible. I have the same sympathy for the needless persecution.

[King_David]

17. I don't remember hearing or reading or learning about the 1968 war..

Tell us about it.

[King_David]

12. 'gassing those poor bastards in an oven'

What kind of human beings do you think the Israeli's are?

What members of the human race (in History) would ever gas a people in an oven?

What were you trying to say here? Please elaborate for us.

[libodem]

13. Using guns and sanctions is better?

They are starving them and keeping out medicines. They are bombing them again right now. They mean to wipe them off the face of the earth.

[libodem]

14. They want the land God gave them

And they are going to get it. Why they want into Iran, God only knows. Perhaps to put the Palestinians somewhere after they fully surrender.

Must be the Iranian Jews want their homeland back too.
What is the deal with wanting to go to war with Iran. They just can't wait. Can they.
The whole region is about to go wild if they don't stay out of Gaza. They are fucking with fire.

[King_David]

18. "the Iranian Jews want their homeland back too."

Bizarre !

To say the least .

[cali]

19. ugh. your post contains some very ugly shit, honey.

particularly the dog shit about calling Jews- yes, you're saying Jews- Nazis and not human.