RAMALLAH — The Iranian-sponsored Islamic Jihad retaliated over the weekend after sustaining a major
setback in the West Bank.
Three senior Jihad operatives were killed in a clash with Israeli
troops in the northern West Bank city of Jenin. The casualties on Wednesday
included the Jihad commander of Jenin, the group's leading stronghold in the
region.
Palestinian sources said Israeli undercover forces killed Ashraf Saadi,
head of the Jihad network in Jenin. Mohammed Ibrahim Ahmad and Al Jabali,
both of them identified as aides of Saadi, were also killed, Middle East Newsline reported.
Islamic Jihad has subsequently claimed responsibility for missile and improvised
explosive device strikes against Israeli troops. The Iranian-sponsored
organization fired missiles into southern Israel throughout the weekend.
In one attack Jihad detonated an IED near an Israeli infantry patrol and
a military bulldozer east of the Sufa crossing checkpoint to the Gaza Strip
on
March 2. In a statement, Jihad's military wing reported that the Israeli
bulldozer was struck.
The Israeli military did not report any injuries. A military spokesman
said the IED was discovered and detonated safely.
Jihad has reported the use of its Quds-2 missile, with a range of more than
16 kilometers.
Over the weekend, Israeli troops ended a major operation in the West
Bank city of Nablus, another Jihad stronghold. Five Israeli infantry
battalions, in the largest operation since July 2006, were said to have
destroyed Jihad and Fatah safe houses, including four explosives
laboratories, in the city.
Israeli security sources said the targeted Jihad operatives were
responsible for the attempted bombing in Tel Aviv last week. They said
Saadi, 29, organized numerous shootings and bombings and was involved
in suicide strikes in Israel in 2005 and 2006.
Ahmad, known as Abu Nasa, was identified as a senior Jihad commander in
the Jenin refugee camp. The 34-year-old Ahmad was said to have been involved
in the transfer of funds to Jihad cells. He also was identified as a deputy
to the late Husam Jaradat, Jihad's commander in Jenin until he was killed in
August 2006.
"Last week this very infrastructure dispatched Omar Abu Roub to carry
out a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv, an attack which was thwarted by security
forces," a security source said. "The infrastructure continues to operate
via different channels to carry out attacks against Israeli civilians and
security forces."
