Despite the recent escalation on the Gaza front and Monday's bombardment of Sderot, the defense establishment will not recommend a large-scale invasion into the Strip at a security cabinet meeting on Wednesday, defense officials said. The army plans to present the cabinet with a number of possible responses to the increase in Kassam rocket fire, including an incursion that could involve thousands of IDF infantry and Armored Corps soldiers.
Defense officials said the likelihood of a large operation being approved was slim and that the cabinet would most likely order the IDF to slightly step up strikes against Kassam rocket squads. Other possibilities include allowing the army to operate deeper inside the Strip; until now it has restricted to within two kilometers of the security fence. |