Rocket attacks spark fresh conflict

Israeli Chief of Staff, Benny Gantz, held a session today, Friday 15th, to assess the situation in Southern Israel, following allegations by Israeli sources of renewed rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip. The commander of the southern region, Major General Tal Russo, Commander of the Air Force, Major General Ido Nehushtan, and Chief of Intelligence, Major General Aviv Kochavi attended the meeting along with other senior officers from the Israeli army. The Hebrew radio station said that the Israeli army viewed with great seriousness "The failure of Hamas to stop firing rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory." The military held Hamas fully responsible for the situation, and the consequences of its escalation, threatening to take practical steps to stop it.  The mortar rounds in the desolate area of the Regional Council of "Eshkol" in western Negev this morning caused no casualties or damage. On Thursday night the Israeli air force targeted six different suspected locations of "terrorists" in the Gaza Strip in the wake of the firing of five missile and mortar attacks on Israeli territory on Thursday.  Four Palestinians were wounded in the raids.