IDF General Says Katyusha Not an Escalation of PA Terrorism
Excerpts;
Despite heavy damage to a chicken coop, Chief of IDF intelligence Gen. Amos Yadlin says that Tuesday’s firing of a Katyusha rocket is not an escalation of the conflict between Israel and the PA.
Yadlin supported his view by comparing Tuesday’s attack on Netiv HaAsarah with a similar strike which occurred on March 28, the date of the Israeli election. That strike caused no injuries or damage. Tuesday’s attack, however, caused substantial damage to a chicken coop. No one was injured, but 30 birds were destroyed.
The IDF originally believed the rocket to be a Kassam, but upon further investigation determined that a “Grad” katyusha had hit the moshav. Grad katyushas generally have a 20-kilometer (12.5 mile) range and carry a payload of six kilograms of explosives. In contrast, the Kassam has a range of ten miles with a much smaller payload.
Tuesday’s attack was the second time Arab terrorists from Gaza successfully fired a Katyusha rocket into Israeli territory.
Despite the longer range and more powerful payload of the katyusha, army officials claim that Gaza terrorists have obtained an outdated model of the Grad which can fly only 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles). The Grad is manufactured in Russia and may have reached Gaza via Sinai through suppliers in Iran.
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