Israel-Gaza: ready to roll!

JERUSALEM, Feb. 29- (Xinhua)- A senior Israeli defense official on Friday said a large-scale military operation in Gaza is "unavoidable" in a bid to bring a halt to the Qassam rocket fire on Israel.

"It will be sad and difficult, but we have no other choice," Israeli Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilna'i told Israel Army Radio. (Matan Vilnai-Knesset Member)

Vilna'i said that Israel is getting close to using its full strength, noting that Israel so far has used a small percentage of the army's power.

Over the past few days, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have positioned an artillery battery near Kibbutz Beeri, located about three km from the Gaza border, and dozens of tanks have made their way to an assembling area just north of the Gaza Strip, local daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported earlier Friday (Israel minister warns Palestinians of 'holocaust').

Forces from the Givati Brigade, the Armored Corps' 9th Battalion and the Engineering Corps have already entered the Gaza Strip ahead of a possible large-scale ground incursion, said the report.

The reinforcements, while limited, appear to indicate increased readiness on the part of the IDF, it noted. (Large-scale Gaza operation unavoidable)


See also: Pre-war atmosphere from Juif.org