May 11, 2023 | Flash Brief

Misfired Islamic Jihad Rockets Kill Palestinian Children

May 11, 2023 | Flash Brief

Misfired Islamic Jihad Rockets Kill Palestinian Children

Latest Developments

Rockets launched at Israel by Iran-backed Islamic Jihad on May 10 killed four Palestinian civilians, three of them children, after falling short within the Gaza Strip, Israeli tracking data showed. According to the information published on May 11, which is drawn from the same advanced radar surveillance that allows Israel to intercept salvoes crossing into its territory, one misfired rocket killed Rami Shadi Hamdan, 16, and Ahmed Muhammad a-Shabaki, 51, in the Gaza border town of Beit Hanoun. In another incident, a failed launch killed Layan Bilal Mohammad Abdullah Mdoukh, a 10-year-old girl, and Yazan Jawdat Fathi Elayyan, 16, in Gaza City.

Footage released by the IDF Spokesman’s Office showed a volley of rockets from Gaza during which three of the projectiles can be seen dropping from the sky soon after terrorists fired them. Iran-backed Gaza terrorists have fired more than 500 rockets in total at Israel during Operation Shield and Arrow, around a quarter of them malfunctioning and some 154 shot down by Iron Dome or David’s Sling interceptors, Israel says.

Expert Analysis

“By their own account, Iran-backed Islamic Jihad and other Gaza terrorist groups rely heavily on locally manufactured rockets thanks to the success Israel and Egypt have had in interdicting the Iranian export of military-grade arms. Now, as in previous Gaza fighting, we see the ‘friendly fire’ casualties that result, which the Palestinians are cynically trying to recast as victims of Israeli aggression.” — Mark Dubowitz, FDD CEO

“There have been around 10 confirmed civilian deaths in Gaza in this round of fighting. Now we know that at least four were caused by Palestinian aggression. While any such killing is tragic, these findings are further validation of Israel’s extraordinary military restraint and precision as it battles terrorists attacking its civilians with rockets.” — Enia Krivine, Senior Director of FDD’s Israel Program and National Security Network

“Iran’s Multifront Strategy Against Israel,” by Jonathan Schanzer

“Why Palestinian Islamic Jihad Rockets Kill So Many Palestinians,” by Mark Dubowitz and Behnam Ben Taleblu

Issues:

Iran Iran Global Threat Network Iran-backed Terrorism Israel Jihadism Palestinian Politics