On Sept. 12, a rocket launched from the Gaza Strip struck the northern
Negev Desert. Other incidents included an attempt to fire a rocket-propelled
grenade at Israeli troops along the Gaza Strip.
On the following day, the military reported two rocket launches into
Israel. One of the projectiles landed near the southern city of Sderot.
In all, at least 10 rockets have landed in Israel over the last six
days. Officials have assessed that the Hamas regime was behind the
escalation in missile and rocket launches.
Hamas has also escalated psychological warfare against Israel. The
Islamic insurgency movement has released a video on the Internet that
simulated the destruction of Tel Aviv and the Supreme Court.
"God willing, the jihad will take back the homeland," a Hamas supporter
says in the video.
The Israeli intelligence community has determined that Hamas sustained a
significant decline in weapons capability in 2010. On Sept. 12, Israel
Security Agency commander Yuval Diskin, however, said that Hamas was
preparing to escalate the war against Israel and torpedo peace talks with
the Palestinian Authority.
"He [Diskin] expects an increase in terrorism as an attempt by
Palestinian terrorists to derail the current peace talks taking place
between Israeli and Palestinian leaders," the military said.