Defense Minister Yoav Galant visited the Kipfer Barzel battery in southern Israel in the wake of a shooting in the Gaza Strip. This visit coincided with the uncertain status of Galant’s job, as Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu had suspended his dismissal decision without announcing its permanent cancellation. Despite attempts at calming things down, the Islamic Jihad refused to promise no rocket launch. The Iron Dome was activated in Galilee, but the IDF said it was a false alert. Nine rockets were launched, with one hitting a factory in Sderot. The IDF attacked Gaza in response. During his visit, Gallant promised a heavy price for anyone daring to harm Israeli citizens or soldiers. He later held a situation assessment with Chief of Staff Herzli Halevi, Shin Bet chief Ronan Bar, and other senior security officials. Gallant’s visit to the Iron Dome battery took place during a tense security week following nine launches detected from Gaza into Israel at night. On Sunday evening, the IDF shot down an unidentified aircraft that entered Israeli airspace from Syria. The aircraft was under surveillance by the Air Force’s control unit and was shot down in an open area, posing no danger. No warning was activated as per policy.
After the shooting that took place tonight in the Gaza Strip, Defense Minister Yoav Galant visited today (Wednesday) the Kipfer Barzel battery in the south of the country. In addition to the shooting and the security tensions, the visit occurred at a time of uncertainty in the minister’s case, after Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu suspended the decision on his dismissal, but did not announce that they were definitively canceled.
Despite attempts to calm down: the Islamic Jihad refused to commit that it would not launch rockets
Iron Dome was activated in Galilee; The IDF said: This is a false alert
Nine rockets were launched, one hit a factory in Sderot; The IDF attacked Gaza in response
During his visit to the place, Gallant said: “We will cripple anyone who tries to harm us and we will charge him a heavy price that will make him regret any action against Israeli citizens and IDF soldiers. IDF soldiers are on guard to protect the citizens of Israel on Seder night and throughout Passover, here and everywhere throughout the country, in the air, at sea and on land.” Later, the Defense Minister held a situation assessment with Chief of Staff Herzli Halevi, Shin Bet chief Ronan Bar and other senior security officials.
As mentioned, Gallant’s visit to the Iron Dome battery in the south comes against the background of a tense security week, and after the night nine launches were detected towards the enclave. An IDF spokesman said that nine launches from the Gaza Strip into Israel were detected, four of which were intercepted by the Iron Dome. Twenty minutes later, another warning was sounded in Kibbutz Erez.
Last Sunday evening, IDF helicopters and fighter jets were launched following an unidentified aircraft that entered Israeli territory from Syria. The vessel was shot down in an open area. The IDF noted that the vessel that entered the Golan Heights area was under surveillance by the Air Force’s control unit, and was shot down in the area open and was not a danger at any stage. It was also reported that no warning was activated according to the policy.