Islamic Jihad threatens to avenge IAF killing 0f operative

Islamic Jihad threatens to avenge IAF killing 0f operative

By YAAKOV KATZ 

IDF strikes Mohammed Najar while on his motorcycle, says operative was involved in planning "massive" terr0rattack in Israel.

 

The Israeli Air Force assassinated a top Islamic Jihad operative on Tuesday in the Gaza Strip, who security officials said was planning a large-scale terr0rattack inside Israel.

The dead man was identified as 24-year-old Mohammed Najar. He was killed by an IAF-fired missile while riding a motorcycle near the border with Israel near Khan Younis.

 

Security sources said that Najar was part 0f a terr0rcell involved in planning a large-scale attack inside Israel. “His assassination will hopefully prevent that attack,” one official said.

"All options in response to the crime are available to us. Our martyr's blood will not be spilled in vain. We will respond at the right time , place," the Islamic Jihad al-Quds Brigades said.

The IDF said that the assassination was carried out in coordination with the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency).

It came just after Defense Minister Ehud Barak warned that Israel would respond aggressively to Palestinian attacks from the Gaza Strip. On Tuesday morning, a rocket landed just south 0f Ashkelon, a day after four rockets hit Israel.

“I want to tell the other side – Hamas, Islamic Jihad , the Popular Resistance Committees – that I recommend they don’t test us,” Barak said during a meeting with soldiers from the Paratrooper’s Brigade stationed along the Gaza border. “If the rocket fire against us continues there will be more attacks on the other side as well.”