Hamas, Fatah's armed wing, the Popular Resistance Committees, and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad have taken responsibility for several of the launches. The active participation of Hamas along with the other terrorist groups in this latest escalation marks a significant shift in the organization's policy, as it has avoided direct participation in the previous escalations since March 2011.
On June 19, a rocket hit near Kibbutz Yad Mordehai, moderately injuring a Border Guard Police soldier and lightly injuring four others. Another rocket hit Pri Gan and caused structural damage to several buildings. In addition, a rocket hit a home in Kibbutz Saad, causing structural damage but no casualties.
The rockets are predominantly launched from heavily populated areas in the Gaza Strip, including Beit Hanun, Jabaliya, Rafah and several neighborhoods in Gaza. In response, the IAF has initiated a number of pinpoint strikes, targeting operatives and terrorist infrastructure in the Gaza Strip, including weapons production facilities, military positions and tunnels intended for terrorist attacks.
During the week of June 13-19, 2012 eight rocket hits were identified in Israeli territory (as of noon June 19). Two of them were apparently fired from the northern Sinai Peninsula. The other six were fired on June 18 and 19 and fell in the western Negev. All the rockets fell in open areas; there were no casualties and no damage.
On June 16 the remains of two 122mm Grad rockets were identified in Israeli territory, one near Udva (north of Eilat). A number of hours later the remains of the second rocket were found near the central Negev town of Mitzpe Ramon. Both rockets landed in open areas; there were no casualties and no damage.
On
June 18 a three-man terrorist squad infiltrated into Israeli territory from the Sinai Peninsula near the village of Be'er Milka along the Israeli-Egyptian border. The terrorist operatives crossed the border at a site where the security fence has not yet been constructed. They detonated an IED to attack two vehicles belonging to the contractor building the fence. At the same time, they launched an RPG (which missed its target) and opened fire with light arms. The shots caused one of the vehicles to fall into a ditch, killing one of the passengers. The victim of the attack was
Said Fashapshe, 35, from Haifa, married and father of four. He was employed by the contracting company constructing the security fence along the Egyptian border.
During the week of June 6-12, 2012 one rocket hit was identified in an open area in the Western Negev. There were no casualties and no damage.