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Netanyahu: Israel will act with ‘great force’ against Hamas

The prime minister put the Hamas terror group on notice following an overnight rocket attack that struck a private home in Israel’s south.

By Mara Vigevani/TPS

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu warned Hamas Wednesday that it will pay a heavy price following the rocket attack overnight that destroyed a house in Beersheba. “I have now concluded an assessment of the situation with the heads of the IDF and security forces,” Netanyahu said.

“Israel views the attacks on the fence with great severity, on the Gaza perimeter, on Beersheba – everywhere. I said this week at the start of the Cabinet meeting that if these attacks do not stop we will stop them. I want to tell you today, Israel will act with great force,” Netanyahu said during a security assessment at Gaza Division headquarters.

Among those attending the meeting were Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman; Deputy Chief of Staff Maj.-Gen. Aviv Kochavi; Meir Ben Shabbat, the head of the National Security Council; Nadav Argaman, the head of Israeli Security Agency and senior members of the security establishment also attended the assessment.

The Security Cabinet is scheduled to meet later Wednesday once Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot has returned from the United States to decide on further steps.

Following the attacks, the IDF launched a series of strikes on targets in Gaza, including on a Hamas attack tunnel.

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During his visit to the Gaza Division HQ, Netanyahu met with video surveillance operators who identified the launching squad that was thwarted by the IDF this morning and praised them for their work.

Netanyahu later met with local council heads from the Gaza Belt Region.