Israeli Iron Dome air defense systems shot down five rockets fired into Israel from the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip Thursday morning, underlying the ongoing tensions in Israel’s southern region. The rockets came hours after the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) announced that an attempt by Hamas to set up a cell in the West Bank, with the purpose of kidnapping Israelis, had been broken up. The Shin Bet explained that the effort had been directed by operatives of the self-named “Holy Warriors Brigade” who are serving time in Israeli prisons. “The Holy Warriors Brigade is a terror group that splintered off from Fatah’s al-Aksa Martyrs Brigades, and adopted extremist Islamist characteristics,” the Shin Bet said. “We can say that in effect, the Holy Warriors Brigades is a Hamas front-group in every way.” Read More
