Israeli assault on Hamas continues for fourth day

Israeli warplanes continue to pound Hamas installations inside the Gaza strip. Speculation about a ground assault continues, but no ground assault has occurred as of this post. There has been much condemnation of Israel for over responding to the daily Hamas rocket attacks from the Gaza strip. I support the Israeli actions. If a hundred rockets were being launched into the USA from foreign soil, we would have taken quicker and stronger measures than the Israelis have.

Gaza assault, rocket attacks continue

By Reuters and Lauren McNabbDecember 30, 2008 8:55 AM

JERUSALEM - Israeli warplanes struck the Gaza Strip again Tuesday, the fourth day in a row, but the ongoing assault failed to deter Hamas, which vowed to keep up rocket attacks on Israeli cities.

Defence Minister Ehud Barak said Israel, which is blockading Gaza, was gathering ground forces at the frontier and would expand its operation "as much as is necessary" to stop the rocket fire and "deal a heavy blow to Hamas."

Israeli planes attacked Hamas targets, killing 12 Palestinians. They included sisters age four and 11. Several rockets fired from Gaza hit Israel, a day after three Israelis were killed in cross-border salvoes.

Medical officials put Palestinian casualties since Saturday at 348 dead with more than 800 wounded. A United Nations agency said at least 62 of the dead were civilians. Four Israelis have been killed by rockets since the operation began. Full story here.

Here is a missile's eye view of some of the action.