A defense establishment source said today that Ismail Asmar of Rafiah in the Gaza Strip, a senior commander in the Islamic Jihad who financed the terrorist attack in southern Israel, was killed last night. Intelligence sources said that he was planning more terrorist attacks soon.
Palestinian media report that Asmar was killed by a missile fired from a plane at the car in which he was travelling. Another man in the car was wounded in the strike.
In a statement, the IDF Spokesman's Office said that, in a joint IDF Israel Security Agency operation, Air Force planes targeted Ismail Asmar of Rafiah, who was born in 1974, who was affiliated with Islamic Jihad involved in smuggling weapons and supported the terrorist activity in Sinai. A direct hit was confirmed. The statement added, "Asmar operated with terror elements in the Gaza Strip which have recently made several attempts to execute terror attacks in Sinai and on the Israel-Egypt border."
The IDF Spokesman also reported that two other terrorists were killed in the northern Gaza Strip after firing rockets at Israel.
In a separate development IDF Chief-of-Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Ganz convened a situation analysis as part of the investigation into last week's attacks. He ordered IDF Southern Command to beef up defenses in the area to provide a fast response to incidents. He also ordered priority given to intelligence operations in the sector to provide a picture on developments in Sinai.
In the wake of last night's incidents, the IDF Homefront Command heightened its guidelines, and instructed residents of the south not to gather in public crowds, and to hold events inside protected structures. Gaza Division Commander Brig.-Gen. Yossi Bachar asked dairy farmers to cancel a planned demonstration at Yad Mordechai Junction, south of Ashkelon.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on August 24, 2011
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