An Israeli artillery field encampment on high alert after they responded to several rockets hitting the Mount Hermon Resort, in the Golan Heights, northern Israel, January 27, 2105

The IDF is beefing up their presence on the Golan Heights in case Hezbollah tries anything.

Soldiers praying on the Golan, with their Artillery tank behind them.

An Iron Dome systems on the Golan Heights

No Entry Sign – Leading to Lebanon

On the eve of the 22nd day of Operation Protective Edge, residents in the central Israeli coastal city of Rishon Lezion spent a sleepless night Monday, awakened suddenly at three in the morning by the wail of a Code Red rocket alert siren.

It had been a really tough day, with the loss of ten Israeli soldiers in Gaza operations, and the country was bone-tired. Israelis were tired.

Even though many homes are equipped with a ‘safe room’, it still required an effort to drag one’s self out of bed, and to rouse the children – or carry them sleeping – into the shelter, to safety, in 90 seconds or less.

Both of the M75 missiles fired from Gaza exploded on the outskirts of the city. Having presented no immediate threat to the population, neither was intercepted by the Iron Dome anti-missile defense system. As a result, much of the city heard the resulting ‘booms!’

The third missile attack, aimed at Ashdod, was in fact aimed directly at the port city’s residential neighborhoods. That one was intercepted by the Iron Dome system, and shrapnel from the resulting explosion high above the city fell from skies a few seconds later.

Since nearly everyone was in bed or in their shelters at that hour, the risk of curious Israelis racing to examine or even take pieces of the shrapnel as a souvenir of the war, was thankfully minimized.

Meanwhile, Israel Defense Forces redoubled their attacks in Gaza overnight and into Tuesday morning, focusing heavy artillery fire and air strikes on the northern part of the region.

But reports by the IDF that 150 targets in Gaza were attacked over the past 24 hours are being challenged by retired IDF officials and analysts questioning their value. IAF fighter pilots bombed the home of Hamas Gaza Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, but it was empty at the time, with Haniyeh and his family safely tucked away elsewhere, far from the battle zone.

Retired National Security Council chief Maj.-Gen. (Res) Giora Eiland warned the Hebrew-language newspaper Yediot Acharonot on Tuesday the IDF needs to advance deeper into Gaza. “It is not going to be possible to reach a true cease fire within the coming days,” he said. “It is unwise to remain only in the areas we are in at the moment; in order to get significant achievements we need to go deeper in our operations,” he explained. “Attacking Haniyeh’s home is not important,” he added. “He could not care less.” Haniyeh told reporters in response to the report: “My house is not more valuable than the houses of other people. Destroying stones will not break our determination,” he said.

Overnight IAF fighter pilots attacked 10 terror operatives in central Gaza, confirming hits each time.

The IDF targeted more than 70 terror sites overnight throughout Gaza, including two sites used as command and control centers belonging to Hamas, four weapon storage sites concealed within mosques, a concealed rocket launcher located near a mosque and an offensive tunnel.

In the early hours of the morning, IDF demolished a full terror tunnel route and also struck the Gaza City office of the Hamas treasury — used to fund and manage Hamas’ terror activities.

In addition, the IDF struck the Al-Aqsa television station used to incite Palestinians against Israel. The station is also used to transmit orders and messages to Hamas operatives and instruct Gaza residents to ignore IDF warnings about upcoming military activity in specific areas, the IDF said. But despite the bombing, Hamas reported the channel has continued its broadcasts – an indication that its primary transmitters and studios remained unscathed.

An IDF soldier has been wounded by Hamas terrorist artillery fire during the current ‘unofficial’ humanitarian cease fire Israel is observing due to pressure by the United Nations at the behest of the United States.

The IDF soldier is listed in fair condition at Sheba Hospital in Tel HaShomer Medical Center in Tel Aviv.

The soldier was hurt during an exchange of gunfire this morning in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun.

Lines of tanks, armored personnel carriers and jeeps are moving along roads that were carefully paved smooth earlier this year.

Thousands of IDF soldiers already toting their gear are ready, seated in trucks and APCS, patiently waiting for orders that will decide their actions.

But for now, they’re still in waiting mode. The orders haven’t yet been issued – they’re only getting into position – everyone’s just moving south to the border with Gaza.

Disc jockeys and talk show hosts on Army Radio have that manic quality in their voices as they strain with extra effort to be especially funny in routines that have a sharper edge than usual.

The music is jumpier, punchier. No information that could let you know what’s really going on. Standard procedure for the State of Israel in high-tension security mode.

It would be smart for Gaza terrorists to rethink their actions, if they’re thinking clearly at all. Now is a good time to consider their families, if they ever consider anyone.

The requisite warning to Hamas went out. They know the steps to the dance. No fools they, the entire leadership of that terrorist organization went underground at least 48 hours ago. No bellicose statements issued from Ismail Haniyeh since the beginning of the week. He’s hiding from Israeli fighter pilots and air strikes, content to let Gaza families pay the price for his belligerence when Israel is forced to bomb rocket launchers buried up against their homes.

In that way, he’s not much different from Hezbollah terrorist chief Hassan Nasrallah, who has been in hiding for years, since the 2006 Second Lebanon War, for similar reasons.

But the rocket fire continues, and it will soon have to be silenced one way or the other. The price for leaving it is getting too high. Tens of thousands of Israeli civilians cannot sleep at night, cannot function by day. Too many children are growing up damaged. It’s approaching the time to put the matter to rest.

Israeli fighter pilots were busy late Monday night, flying sorties over Gaza to retaliate for Hamas terror attacks and repeated rocket fire aimed at southern Israel.

Gaza terrorists launched at least six rocket attacks at Israeli civilian communities overnight, sending families racing for their shelters and safe rooms nearly every hour from midnight to 3:30 am.

Missile fire was aimed at the coastal city of Ashkelon, and Qassam rockets were launched at the nearby Sdnot Negev and Eshkol Regional Council districts. Rockets fell in open fields, where no property damage was reported.

Several other rockets exploded near a packaging factory and a number of vehicles, causing damage, according to local reports. In addition at least one person was treated for trauma; several other residents suffered anxiety attacks as well.

The Israel Air Force immediately retaliated, striking rocket launcher sites and other terrorist targets in central and southern Gaza.

More than 30 terror targets were destroyed within a few minutes’ time, according to local Gaza sources, who said the air strikes “caused many explosions” especially in the southern area of the region.

In addition to the air force, Israeli Navy personnel and tank artillery participated in the attack, the sources said. Local medical workers reported that four people were wounded and one was missing in the town of Khan Yunis, a hotbed of terrorism and one of the sites where air strikes were carried out.

Israel has decided to build a series of assault posts designed to return fire rapidly in the event of an attack from across the border.

The decision came in response to just such an incident that occurred earlier this week, and cost the life of a 13-year-old Israeli boy. His father, a defense ministry contractor on a job along the security fence, was seriously wounded along with two others. They were sitting in a water truck when a Kornet anti-tank missile scored a direct hit on their vehicle. Mohammed Karkara paid the price and died in his father’s arms.

According to the IDF, live personnel will staff the series of assault stations — the “Defensive Canopy” to be strung out along the 210th Territorial Division — as the situation warrants. The “210th” is the area that secures Israel’s border with Syria in the Golan Heights.

The IDF maintains a similar series of posts in the south, strung out along the Gaza border as well. Within the stations are various types of technologies that allow for quick coordination between the various military elements – air force, ground troops, artillery and so forth – needed to repel any enemy attack.