- [Julie] Terrorists in the Gaza Strip
launched a rocket before dawn
that crashed into a home
in the Southern Israeli city of Beersheba,
nearly 30 miles from Gaza.
A mother and her three children were safe
because they had gone to the bomb shelter
when the warning sirens sounded.
In response, the IDF said Israeli planes
struck more than 20 Hamas targets,
including a terror tunnelwhich crossed into Israel
and a factory used to manufacture
components to build tunnels.
The IDF also released a video
showing a terror squadsetting up a launching pad,
loading rockets, and theIDF strike on the squad.
The rocket attack came a day after
Israeli Defense MinisterAvigdor Lieberman said
he is pressing forupgraded military action
to quiet the situation in Gaza.
He said, "My position is very clear.
"We must deal a heavy blow against Hamas.
"This is the only wayto return the situation
"to its previous state,
"and to reduce the level ofviolence to nearly zero."
- Hamas isn't tying toachieve any truce with Israel.
Hamas is trying to achievepolitical aims by using violence.
This is what terrorist organizations do.
- [Julie] IDF spokesman,Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus
said Hamas is trying to involvethe international community.
- What they're doing
is sending Palestinian civilians forward,
causing them to endangerthemselves by attacking Israel,
and then hoping thatthese civilian casualties
will generate or garnerinternational interest
in what's happening
and perhaps alleviatethe situation in Gaza.
- [Julie] A second rocketwas also apparently
launched at Tel Aviv andlanded in the Mediterranean.
It's the first time a rocketwas launched toward Tel Aviv
since the 2014 Gaza War.
The rocket attack was thelatest in escalating violence
which has seen Palestinianrioting along the Gaza border
for nearly seven months.
(speaking in foreign language),the Jewish National Fund,
also said attacks from arson balloons
and kites from Gaza since April
have destroyed more than half
of the forested areas of surrounding Gaza.
Political leaders are calling for Israel
to take tougher action and not allow Hamas
to erode Israel's deterrents.
Julie Stahl, CBN News, Jerusalem.
