The Chief of Staff of the Israeli army Gabi Ashkenazi said the situation on the border with the Gaza Strip is be "fragile and volatile." He also said the deployment of a battalion charged with running the anti-missile "Iron Dome" system on the border will take place during the next year.
The Israeli media quoted Ashkenazi as saying that the activities of Palestinian groups in the Gaza Strip have intensified during the past year.
A military source said Ashkenazi ordered last night to attack Hamas targets in the Strip for the first time since the end of the war two years ago.
Israel believes that the Hamas leadership is behind the escalating security situation in the border area. Israeli sources said Hamas leadership has been urging other organizations to fire rockets toward Israel, for different strategic and domestic reasons.
