The defense establishment is preparing for a scenario in which rockets will be fired from Gaza into Israel in identification with the terror attacks in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria.
Security officers in the Gaza Belt communities have been briefed, as have Iron Dome battery operators, and Iron Dome batteries have been deployed in what was defined as “sensitive locations.”
A senior security source said that the intelligence assessments regarding the possibility of rocket fire could turn out to have been wrong, but that Israel must be prepared for any scenario, including the firing of individual rockets at Israeli targets, without any prior warning.
Yaalon visited the Etzion Bloc early Tuesday afternoon and said that “We must prepare for the possibility of escalation, and that is why we are reinforcing the forces in order to bring about a larger presence. The Palestinian Authority is operating on the ground in an attempt to calm the spirits, but various statements, including those made by the Authority chairman, bring about the grave actions.”
Yaalon said the situation is not a new intifada and advised patience. He admitted that it is difficult to locate terrorists who act on their own with no organization behind them, and prevent their attacks.
He stated, however, that the IDF will not allow further escalation and that it had reinforced its presence in Judea and Samaria. “We are carrying out arrests on a larger scale than before and we will employ an iron fist against terrorists, including the demolition of the homes of terrorists, to stop this wave. I call upon anyone with the interest and ability to calm the people on the ground, to do so.”
The Diplomacy-Security Cabinet will convene Tuesday afternoon to discuss the situation following Monday's murders.