Israel Heavily Shelled by a "Barrage" of Mortars (UPDATED)

Something is up - there has been a major escalation of violence in Israel.

49 Mortars Fired into Israel; IDF Strikes Gaza

Civilian areas in southern Israel were heavily shelled by Palestinian terrorists in Gaza on Saturday morning, when more than 50 mortars were fired at the regional councils of Sha'ar Hanegev, Eshkol and Sdot Hanegev.

Thankfully, despite this barrage, only two Israeli citizens were injured.

Two Israelis sustained light injuries by shrapnel and were transferred to Soroka Hospital in Beersheba.

Hamas' armed wing, the Izzadin Kassam Brigades, claimed responsibility for a dozen of the mortars fired.

One building sustained extensive damage in the Eshkol Regional Council although a majority of the projectiles landed in open areas, local officials reported.

Eyal Brandeis, a kibbutz secretary in the Eshkol Regional Council, and the head of a local emergency response team, told The Jerusalem Post that the injured were a married couple who had been attempting to seek cover in a safe zone - a room reinforced with concrete to protect from projectiles.

"It happened just as they entered the room. The couple were responding to instructions we sent out on cell phone text messages calling on all residents to seek shelter. They ran to the room, and shrapnel went through the window just before they could close it," Brandeis said.

Its only a matter of time before one of these mortars hits a schoolroom, or a grocery store or a kindergarden.

This incident also marks a significant increase from the usual attempts at creating death and destruction in Israel:

"We are used to sporadic rocket and mortar fire, but this was not the daily show we are used to," Brandais said, referring to the high number of mortars fired at his community on Saturday. "Luckily, we escaped with few injuries. We'll have to get through this," he added.

Southern communities cannot be alerted to mortars by the Color Red rocket alert system and have developed their own cell phone text messaging alert system. "When we heard the high number of explosions across the area, we knew this was not an ordinary attack," he said.

Ronit Minaker, a spokeswoman for the Eshkol Regional Council, said residents had been ordered to stay indoors for the duration of the morning. "People were compliant with the safety instructions," she said.

"We're not used to this kind of massive fire. But we have experienced it before, and we know how to respond," Minaker added.

We also see this article today - describing Foreign Minister Lieberman's comments:

Lieberman: 'World supporting creation of terror state'

Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman instructed Israel's diplomats in New York to lodge a complaint in the United Nations against a heavy barrage of mortar fire from the Gaza Strip Saturday morning.

Lieberman said that international support for the establishment of a Palestinian state is actually "support for the establishment of a terror state whose primary aim is the destruction of Israel."

I suppose he knows that this will fall on deaf ears at the UN.

On Friday, Ambassador to the UN Meron Reuben on Friday filed an official complaint with the Security Council following the seizure of weapons from the cargo ship Victoria earlier this week.

The complaint stated that the attempt to transfer weapons from Iran to Gaza by way of Syria constituted a violation of a number of Security Council resolutions.

The Israel Navy seized the cargo vessel early Tuesday morning in the Mediterranean Sea. It was carrying advanced weaponry, including anti-ship missiles that could alter the balance of power in the region.

Israel believes the weaponry originated in Iran and was destined for Hamas and other terrorist groups in the Gaza Strip. The shipment contained a large number of mortar shells.

It really is amazing, and prophetic that Israel received daily mortar shells into civilian areas and the world's main stream media completely ignores this. Yet, the second Israel attempts to take any action to stop the incoming missiles, they are labeled as promoting violence and condemned.

Its just the bizarre nature of these last days, and its entirely predictable. But God is most definitely keeping an eye on this, and it is no wonder He will finally reach a point in which He has seen enough:

"...my hot anger will be aroused, declares the Sovereign Lord." (Ezekiel 38:18)

""I will display my glory among the nations, and all the nations will see the punishment I inflict and the hand I lay upon them." (Ezekiel 39:21).

And to close, with what God Himself stated directly to the prophet Ezekiel:

"It is coming! It will surely take place, declares the Sovereign Lord" (Ezekiel 39:8)

Indeed it will. God has stated it plainly and directly. Can there be any doubt?

UPDATE:

5 injured in Israel-Palestine violence

Five people were injured on Saturday in cross-border violence between Israel and Gaza.
Israeli air raids in Gaza on Saturday badly wounded three children, a hospital official in Gaza City said.

But the Israel Defense Forces said it launched strikes after dozens of mortar shells were fired from Gaza into southern Israel. The IDF said troops fired tank shells and helicopters backed forces on the ground.

It had no comment on the three injured people, one of whom is in critical condition. But the IDF said two Israeli civilians received minor injuries.


Israel said three mortars landed in the regional council of Shalom and two in the regional council of Eshkol.

Israel said it won't allow Israel's southern communities to "continue living under constant threat" and it holds Hamas, the Palestinian movement that governs Gaza, "responsible for any terrorist activity emanating from the Gaza Strip."

Constant rocket fire into southern Israel by Palestinian militants prompted Israel to launch its three-week offensive against in Gaza from late 2008 into January 2009.