Israel, Gaza Strip Erupt in Violence

Cross-border violence has erupted between Israel and Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The fighting so far has killed 21 Gazans, including 18 terrorists, and two Israelis have been seriously wounded.

The outbreak started when Israel killed a top Palestinian militant leader on Friday. Since then, Palestinians in Gaza have shot more than 240 rockets at Israel, according to the Israeli government. The Israel Defense Forces have responded with nine air attacks against rocket-launching sites and a weapons storage facility.

Although the violence shows no immediate signs of subsiding, both Hamas and Israel seem inclined to avoid a repeat of the warfare that erupted in Gaza three years ago during Operation Cast Lead.

As it has since that conflict, Hamas continues to stay out of the current clashes for fear of provoking a harsh Israeli retaliation.

While the current outbreak of violence in Gaza may be more or less contained, continue to watch the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This ongoing clash—along with its equally dangerous “peace process”—will ultimately lead to an explosion of war that will engulf Israel and spark another world war.