IDF reports casualties as bombs hit convoy near Rafah

[Scurrilous]

http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/426794.html

<snip>

"A number of Israel Defense Forces soldiers were wounded on Wednesday evening when bombs exploded next to an armored convoy of IDF vehicles travelling through the Philadelphi Route, near Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip.

The first bomb hit an armored personnel carrier and an armored bulldozer used to expose weapons smuggling tunnels in the area. The second bomb, a far larger device, went off as another armored personnel carrier arrived at the scene to rescue the soldiers injured in the first blast.

Emergency forces evacuated the wounded to the Soroka Medical Center in Be'er Sheva.

Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack."


Report: Six Israeli Soldiers Killed in Gaza Blast

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,119684,00.html

<snip>

"Six Israeli soldiers were reportedly killed when an explosion ripped apart an Israeli armored personnel carrier today on the border between Egypt and Gaza, Arabic-language TV stations in Lebanon said Wednesday.

No independent confirmation of the report was available."


Israelis Killed in Blast in Gaza-Militants

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=5120934

<snip>

"An Israeli military vehicle was hit by an explosion in the southern Gaza Strip Wednesday, killing all of the Israelis inside, Palestinian militants said.
Arab television networks reported five Israelis were killed in the blast near Rafah on Gaza's border with Egypt.

The militant group Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the explosion, which came one day after militants killed six Israeli soldiers in a troop carrier in a Gaza City neighborhood."

[Larkspur]

1. At least they are attacking IDF soldiers

that's fair.

[Scurrilous]

2. Nevertheless....

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/news.php3?id=62333

Mofaz Consulting with Commanders in the Field

"Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz is in contact with senior Gaza commanders in the field, perhaps in advance of a major military offensive. Large troop deployments are seen in the area and statements being released by military commanders, pointing to an imminent major military offensive."


http://www.israelnationalnews.com/news.php3?id=62332

"We are taking the Gloves Off”

"Channel 1 TV news moments ago quoted an unnamed “very senior military officer” who stated “this is war and we are taking the gloves off. The rules of the game have just changed”.


http://www.israelnationalnews.com/news.php3?id=62334

Helicopter Gunships Firing at Will

"It appears that helicopter gunships over southern Gaza have been given the green light to fire at any armed persons spotted below, not requiring them to request permission to open fire in each case as is the general directive.

Reports from the Rafiah area indicate PA residents can be seen fleeing, fearing an imminent IDF attack."

[bemildred]

3. Getting a bit predictable, it seems.

The one-two tactics suggest that too.
And we seem to have learned a few tricks from Iraq.

[newyorican]

4. yup...

sounds like Iraq has become the Ivy League of advanced insurgency techniques.

[bemildred]

5. Iraq is the major leagues.

A veritable University of unconventional warfare,
with the finest training environment available in
decades, the best OPFOR in the World, complete freedom
of movement, and open to all (enter at your own risk.)

But seriously, it seems inevitable that the Iraq war
will have consequences elsewhere in the region, as will
the final disintegration of the Palestinian National
Authority and the movement of Hamas and Hizbullah into
the resulting vacuum.

[newyorican]

6. apparently...

even more damaged was wrought by the fact that the targeted APCs (in both cases) were carrying "several dozen kilograms" of explosives to use in blowing up houses or some such brilliant military tactic. The IED caused the explosives the IDF was trucking around to also explode causing the scatter effect.

Well, if you continuously fuck with the bull, you occasionally get the horns.

[Scurrilous]

7. Yaalon forbids carrying explosives in APCs

http://www.maarivenglish.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=article&articleID=7344

<snip>

"Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Moshe Yaalon, ordered on Thursday evening to cease carrying explosives in armored personnel carriers (APC). The order came after 11 soldiers were killed in Gaza in the past two days when their APCs, which were laden with explosives, blew up when fired upon or upon driving over a roadside bomb.

Before the operation on Wednesday on the Philadelphi route, aimed at uncovering tunnels used by Palestinians for smuggling arms from Egypt to Gaza, the soldiers manning the APC were seen loading a large quantity of explosives on board. After the APC was blown to pieces, it was revealed over 1000 kg. of explosives were in the armored vehicle, which brought about the death of five soldiers."

[newyorican]

8. The well-thought out and articulate 1st response...

Well, duh...