November 14, 2012: Israel has threatened to resume its missile attacks against Hamas leaders if the rocket and mortar attacks on southern Israel do not stop. Five years ago such a campaign severely restricted the movements of Hamas leaders and forced the terrorist group to agree to a ceasefire. But that deal fell apart because Hamas would not control the smaller Islamic terror groups who continued to attack Israel. If Israel resumes its attacks on all terrorist leaders in Gaza, Hamas will scream “war crimes” (and get some support in the West), but the resumption of these attacks appears to be the only thing that can get the Hamas leadership to keep their word. On the down side, the smaller Islamic terror groups in Gaza have become larger and now threaten civil war and the possibility of Hamas rule ending (to be replaced by an even worse crew of Islamic radicals). The only other Israeli option is a ground campaign, like the one in 2009. But that risks more Israeli casualties. Since Hamas is a big believer in using civilians as human shields (often against their will), a ground campaign would get a lot more Palestinians killed. So the attacks against specific terrorist leaders is seen as the better option. Retaliation against Israeli leaders is not considered a major problem since Palestinian terrorists are constantly trying to kill Israeli leaders. Ceasefires clearly doesn’t work, as the Palestinians break them every time. But some ceasefires last longer than others, and those tend to be the ones where the terrorist leaders are pledging their lives, not just their word.

On the Syrian border stray mortar shells continue to fall on the Israeli side. This has prompted Israeli troops to fire back at Syrian artillery and mortar crews that can be seen from Israel. The Syrians don’t want to start a war with Israel but they don’t want to lose control of this part of the border to the rebels.

The UN has condemned Hezbollah for sending a UAV into Israel on October 6th. Hezbollah complained that the UN was picking on them and being unfair. Hezbollah also denies it has had anything to do with bomb attacks in Bahrain.

November 13, 2012: Only two rockets were fired from Gaza into Israel today. That makes at least 120 fired since the 10th when the current round of Gaza attacks began. Now the Islamic terrorists are asking for a ceasefire. The rockets have done little damage in Israel, in large part because Israeli radars supply warning of rocket attacks and the Iron Dome system shoots down any rockets headed for inhabited areas. Every time the Gaza terrorists fire rockets into Israel there is retaliation, usually involving air and/or artillery attacks. Despite terrorists deliberately placing their bases in residential neighborhoods, most of the casualties are terrorists.

November 11, 2012: For the first time in 39 years Israeli troops fired into Syria, in response to more Syrian mortar shells landing in Israel.

November 10, 2012: Islamic terrorists in Gaza fired a guided missile at an Israeli army vehicle patrolling the border fence. This wounded four soldiers and Israel responded with artillery and air attacks that killed seven Palestinians and wounded 30. Many Islamic terrorist sites were hit, destroying weapons and other equipment.

November 9, 2012: Two Palestinian rockets landed in southern Israel.

November 8, 2012: An Israeli soldier was wounded when a bomb under the border fence was set off by Palestinian terrorists. That explosion revealed an even larger tunnel, packed with explosives, deeper underground.

Egyptian security forces are seeking out these tunnels more aggressively and destroying them. That’s because the tunnels are used to support terrorist attacks in Egypt.

November 6, 2012: Two Israeli soldiers were wounded by a terrorist bomb set off near the Gaza border fence.