Further proving the intensity of the month of August for Israel, the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) said 178 terror attacks occurred during the month—more than three times the number of terror attacks recorded in July. The ISA monthly report, posted on their website, said nine Israelis were killed in the attacks, one of which was due to friendly fire. Most of the attacks were rocket and mortar attacks on the south, which peaked during the massive barrage that followed the multistage attack on the route to Eilat.
Overall, August saw 191 rockets and mortars launched at Israel in 134 separate attacks, compared to just 22 rockets and mortars launched during July.
The casualty count reflected the surge in terrorism. In addition to the nine fatalities, the month’s terror attacks also resulted in 55 wounded—more than two-dozen of which were as a result of the multipronged shooting and explosive attack on August 18.
Aside from the Gaza-based attacks, there was also a stabbing and vehicular assault attack in Tel Aviv on August 29.
Not all attacks were major incidents that made headlines. The ISA reported terror attacks in the West Bank and Jerusalem as well, most of which were Molotov cocktails attacks. Nearly three-dozen such attacks occurred during August, the overwhelming majority of which were in the West Bank.
(By Joshua Spurlock, www.themideastupdate.com, September 5, 2011)