Special to WorldTribune.com

TEL AVIV — Israel’s military has assessed that the Hamas regime renewed missile and rocket strikes on Israel.

The Israeli military cited a sharp increase in missile and rocket attacks by Hamas and Palestinian militias from the Gaza Strip. The military said the renewal of strikes began last month.

“Since the beginning of 2014, over 28 rockets were launched from Gaza at Israel by Gaza terrorists,” the Israeli military said.

In a statement on Jan. 31, the military said rocket attacks during the month were nearly triple those of December 2013. In December, the military cited 10 rocket strikes from the Gaza Strip.

“Fourteen of the rockets landed in southern Israel, and five were intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system, as they were approaching Ashkelon built up areas,” the military said. “In retaliation to these rocket attacks, IAF aircraft targeted numerous terror sites across the Gaza strip. In addition, at the beginning of January, IAF aircrafts targeted a terror squad during final preparations to launch rockets at southern Israel.”

Military sources said Hamas was not directly participating in most of the rocket launches. But they said Hamas was not arresting rocket squads from such militias as Islamic Jihad, Popular Resistance Committees and Al Qaida-aligned militias.

The statement did not explain the sharp rise in attacks. In January
2014, the military targeted two leading rocket commanders — identified them
as Ahmed Saad and Ahmed Zaanin.

On Jan. 31, Palestinian gunners fired rockets into Israel. The Israel
Air Force responded by air strikes that targeted three unidentified men and
Hamas training facilities in northern Gaza.

“In response to the rocket fire at Israel, IAF aircraft targeted
overnight a terror activity site and a weapon manufacturing facility in the
northern Gaza Strip and a weapon storage facility in the southern Gaza
Strip,” the military said. “Direct hits were confirmed.”

  Gaza Strip, Hamas launched 28 rocket attacks on Israel in January, Iron Dome