The Times of Israel reports: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday Israel’s military had delivered the “harshest blow” in years to Gaza terrorist groups, which he said are inspired by Iran, in his first comments on the most serious flare-up since the 2014 war.
“Since yesterday the IDF has strongly retaliated against the firing from the Gaza Strip and has hit dozens of terrorist targets in the harshest blow we have dealt them in years,” Netanyahu said.
Speaking at the memorial ceremony for the victims of the Altalena ship, sunk during Israel’s War of Independence amid infighting among Jewish military groups, the prime minister blamed Hamas and the Islamic Jihad for the firing of some 200 rockets and mortar shells since early Tuesday and warned the Palestinian terror groups would “pay dearly” if the rocket fire resumes.
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