Two Kassam rockets landed in open fields in the Sderot region Tuesday evening. A third rocket was also fired, but the place of its landing was undetermined. No one was reported wounded and no damage to property was reported in the latest attack. Since the Israeli-Palestinian cease fire last month, 21 Kassam rockets have been fired from Gaza at Israel. In a widespread operation lasting several months, the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), the IDF and Israel Police, have arrested 50 terror suspects affiliated with the Islamic Jihad and believed to be directly involved in planning anti-Israel terror attacks, it was released for publication on Tuesday. Seven of the suspects security officials said, have expressed willingness to perpetrate suicide attacks against Israeli cities. During the arrest raids, security forces uncovered large quantities of weapons including high-grade explosives and computer discs containing instructions how to assemble an explosive device.
The arrest wave began half a year ago following the capture of Hani Rajoub, an Islamic Jihad member from the Hebron area. During his interrogation, the Shin Bet discovered that Rajoub was actually a member of a large-scale terror network consisting of dozens of terror operatives throughout the southern Hebron hills area. Rajoub told his interrogators that following a major IDF crackdown in June 2005, he was ordered by the Islamic Jihad leadership to reestablish the terror group's infrastructure in the Hebron area. Rajoub recruited new operatives and began making efforts to obtain weapons as well as locate training centers.
In addition to Rajoub, security forces have also arrested Mahmoud and Yousef Pakiye from Dora, students at the A-Najah University in Nablus, are allegedly behind the establishment of an explosives factory in the Hebron area.
In related news, security forces came under attack twice by Palestinians in the West Bank on Tuesday. A group of Palestinians threw rocks at Border Policemen near Beit Zayit north of Ramallah on Tuesday afternoon. Two of the attackers were arrested by the border police and were transferred to Police custody. No Border Policemen were wounded in the incident. Earlier, a bomb was thrown at IDF troops operating in Nablus. According to the army, none of the soldiers were wounded, but an IDF vehicle was damaged.
IDF forces operating overnight Monday in Nablus arrested eight Palestinian fugitives, including Fatah member Ranzi Abu Shalal, who supplied the explosives belt used in a suicide bombing in Rosh Ha'ayin three years ago. The remaining fugitives were from Hamas and Islamic Jihad.