COMBAT IN GAZA

Posted at 7:38 a.m. ET

After days of warning that it would do so, Israel launched simultaneous air assaults into Gaza, retaliating for the scores of rockets fired into Israel earlier in the week.  The New York Times is doing some reasonably balanced early reporting on the action:

GAZA CITY — The Israeli Air Force on Saturday launched a massive attack on Hamas targets throughout Gaza in retaliation for the recent heavy rocket fire from the area, hitting mostly security headquarters, training compounds and weapons storage facilities, the Israeli military and witnesses said.

I'm glad The Times said "heavy rocket fire."  The accepted narrative of the leftist press usually plays down the rocket fire, asserting that the rockets aren't very accurate - as if that matters to the family that gets hit.

Dr. Muawiya Hassanein, the head of emergency services at the Gaza Ministry of Health, said at least 140 Palestinians were killed in the raid.

Most were members of the security forces of Hamas, the Islamic group that controls Gaza, but a few civilians were also among the dead, including children. Scores more Palestinians were wounded.

Casualty figures are notoriously inaccurate from that region, but the report that most casualties involved members of Hamas security forces is an unusual admission. 

The air attack came after days of warnings by Israeli officials that Israel would retaliate for intense rocket and mortar fire against Israeli towns and villages by Hamas and other militant groups in Gaza. On Wednesday alone, more than 60 rockets and mortars were fired, some reaching further than previously. While the rockets are meant to be deadly, and several houses and a factory were hit, sowing widespread panic, no Israelis were killed or seriously injured in the recent attacks.

Fair, well-written statement.  It's the terror factor that dominates.  When you have 60 rockets a day fired into an area, that's sheer terror. 

Expecting some kind of Israeli response, the Hamas leaders in Gaza had already been in hiding for two days.

Pretty much tells the story of these heroes.  They leave their people exposed and go into hiding.

We now await statements from the president-elect and his transition team.  Let's hope they don't issue one of those "both sides must exercise restraint" releases, and, instead, demand that Hamas in Gaza stop its rocket fire into Israel, which would end the threat of Israeli retaliation.  There is no rocket fire coming from the West Bank, which is run by the Palestinian Authority. and where the security situation seems to be improving. 

Story is ongoing.

December 27, 2008.