Tel Aviv Under Fire: Conflict Expands - IDF Massing Armor

[Updates Below]

This conflict is growing rapidly: Over the past 48 hours we have seen tremendous expansion of the violence and it shows no signs of slowing down:

Rocket Falls Near Tel Aviv, IDF Massing Armor

Sirens sounded in Tel Aviv and residents were told to head for shelter Thursday evening. An explosion was reportedly heard. Magen David Adom said that there were no casualties.
Voice of Israel public radio said that the rocket is believed to have struck in a southern suburb of Tel Aviv, butHome Front Defense Minister Avi Dichter said that the rocket apparently fell into the sea near Bat Yam.

The IDF is amassing ground forces near Gaza and preparing for a possible assault. Interior Minister Eli Yishai (Shas) told Voice of Israel that Gaza is in for an "unprecedented attack."
Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Thursday approved the call-up of 30,000 reserve soldiers, who can be called into action by the military at any point, the army's official spokesman said.
"We are in the process of expanding the campaign," Brigadier General Yoav Mordechai told Channel 2 television as Israel pressed a massive air campaign against Gaza terrorists.
"The Defense Minister approved a few minutes ago, based on the army's request, therecruitment of another 30,000 soldiers. We will determine how many of them will be called in," he said. "All options are on the table."

Two Rockets Fired From Gaza Toward Tel Aviv

Two booms were heard following an air raid siren in Tel Aviv Thursday evening, just an hour after a rocket from the Gaza Strip exploded in an open field outside of Rishon Lezion. There were no reports of injuries in either strike.
The attacks mark the first time the center of the country was hit renewed violence from the Gaza Strip. The incident was also the first time that a real siren was sounded in Tel Aviv since the Gulf War in the early 1990s. Palestinian Islamic Jihad took responsibility for the rocket on Tel Aviv.
The rockets, among 274 fired from Gaza into the South since the IDFlaunched Operation Pillar of Defense Wednesday to root out the terror infrastructure in the coastal territory, landed less than 15 km south of Tel Aviv. The operation began with the Wednesday afternoon targeted killing of Ahmed Jabari, the chief of Hamas's military wing.
Earlier Thursday, three people were killed and two others injured in a direct hit on a Kiryat Malachi apartment building. Hours later, a rocket fired into the Eshkol region injured three IDF soldiers, two moderately.

Tel Aviv Residents Scramble For Cover As Rockets Fired Into Country's Economic Capital

On Operation Pillar of Defense’s second day, rocket fire is bringing life in southern and central Israel to a standstill while the IDF inflicts heavy blows on Gaza terror groups. The Times of Israel is live-blogging. Press refresh for latest updates.
The IDF has also reported it will call up 30,000 reservists in the coming days, as it aims to widen the battle against Hamas in the wake of unrelenting rocket fire. It had earlier said it would carry out a limited call up.

First Three Gaza Missiles Hit Tel Aviv - Israel Drafts 30,000 Reservists

The first three Palestinian missiles reached the Tel Aviv conurbation, Gush Dan, Thursday night, Nov. 15. shortly after a long-range missile exploded in Rishon Lezion southeast of Tel Aviv and sirens sounded in outlying towns of Holon, Ness Ziona, Gan Raveh and Beer Yacov. None report casualties or damage. Defense Minister Ehud Barak has ordered 30,000 army reservists drafted. The IDF spokesmen earlier reported units of the elite paratroop and Givati Brigades were mustering outside the Gaza Strip on the second day of Israel's counter-terror operation Pillar of Cloud.

Terror's Toll: Three Killed, Infants, Kids Hurt

Egypt, Jordan, Turkey And Russia Chorus Condemnation Of Israel






UPDATES




IDF Pummels Gaza After Rockets Encroach On Tel Aviv



Air Force Hits 70 Gaza Strip Targets In An Hour





Ex-General: 'Declaration Of War'

Hamas rockets aimed at Tel Aviv is tantamount to a declaration of war from the terrorist group and Israel will do whatever is necessary to protect its people and remove the threat, according to retired Israeli Brigadier Gen. Elihu Ben-Onn.

On Wednesday, Israeli Defense Forces targeted and killed Ahmed Jabari, the militant leader of Hamas. In response, Hamas is launching even more rockets — this time into the suburbs of Tel Aviv.

“Absolutely this is a declaration of war by those bloody Muslim radical terrorists, Hamas, Palestinian terrorists. That’s a new situation in the Middle East,” Ben-Onn told WND.
The threat of rockets fired from Gaza reaching the Tel Aviv area is only a recent one. Ben-Onn says Hamas has expanded its range thanks to weapons from another threat to Israel.
“We know that those terrorists in the last two, three years got some ammunition and missiles and rockets from Iran,” he said, noting that some components are coming through Lebanon and Sudan and give Hamas the possibility to enhance and enlarge the range of the missiles.

Israeli Troops Move Towards Gaza

Palestinian militants barraged Israel with more than 200 rockets on Thursday, killing three people as Israel pressed a punishing campaign of airstrikes on militant targets across the Gaza Strip. Three rockets targeted the densely populated Tel Aviv area, setting off air raid sirens in brazen attacks that threatened to trigger an Israeli ground invasion of Gaza.

Late in the day, Israel signaled a ground operation may be imminent as forces moved toward the border area with Gaza. At least 12 trucks were seen transporting tanks and armored personnel carriers, and a number of buses carrying soldiers arrived. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said he had authorized the army to call-up additional reservists for possible action. The army said it was prepared to draft up to 30,000 additional troops.

The fighting showed no signs of slowing after dark. Israeli aircraft carried out dozens of attacks on militant targets in Gaza, while militants fired hundreds of rockets throughout the day. Most were intercepted by a sophisticated Israeli anti-missile system dubbed "Iron Dome."