Israel/Palestinian Terr.: Cross-border strikes continue November 12 /update 4

Event

As of Tuesday evening (local time), November 12, over 190 rockets have been fired toward Israel from Gaza in retaliation for the assassination of a Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) commander. According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), 90 percent of the rockets launched have been intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system. At least 46 Israelis were treated for minor injuries on Tuesday as a result of the barrage. In response, the IDF has carried out multiple airstrikes across the Gaza Strip targeting PIJ facilities and training compounds. Officials with Gaza's Health Ministry said that at least eight people have been killed and 45 others wounded in the territory due to Israeli airstrikes.

Schools in Gaza and southern Israel were closed on Tuesday as cross-border strikes continued throughout the day. Schools across southern Israel and as far north as the Tel Aviv suburbs of Ramat Gan and Givatayim will remain closed on Wednesday, November 12. 

Retaliatory rocket and cross-border attacks by PIJ and other militant organizations are likely to continue over the coming hours and days. Further IDF operations along the border and in the Gaza Strip are also possible.

Context

The IDF said that PIJ Al-Quds Brigade commander Bahaa Abu Al-Ata was targeted during the early morning hours of Tuesday by a precision strike at his residence in the Shejaiyah area of Gaza. According to the IDF, Al-Ata was imminently planning to launch an attack against Israeli citizens and soldiers. Al-Ata has been accused of organizing hundreds of attacks in Israel and developing the rocket capabilities of the PIJ in the Gaza Strip.

Advice

Individuals in Israel and the Palestinian Territories are advised to monitor developments to the situation and adhere to instructions issued by local authorities and their home governments. Seek immediate shelter in the event of a rocket attack.

Some Western governments advise their citizens against all travel to the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and areas near the Israeli-Lebanese, Israeli-Syrian, and Israeli-Egyptian borders.