MENA House: Rockets on Jordan and Israel; Lebanon-Israel Clash --- UPDATES

UPDATE 0705 GMT: Robert Fisk, writing in The Independent of London, reviews the clash between Israeli and Lebanese forces.

On Sunday, a few hours before six rockets hit Israel, Jordan, and the sea off the coast, Israeli President Shimon Peres was returning from Cairo and talks with Egyptian counterpart Hosni Mubarak.

Since Peres' departure, four key events have occurred, raising questions about growing instability in the region.

Early Monday morning, Deir el Balah, a refugee camp in the southern region of the Gaza Strip was attacked by Israeli F16 fighter jets. The home of leader  Alaa al-Danaf, Hamas wing leader and Al-Qassam Brigades leader was targeted. Military medical services coordinator Adham Abu Salmiyya said, "At least 42 civilians were injured in the attack."

UPDATED Israel-Lebanon: Border Clash Kills At Least 4 Soldiers, Journalist (Al Jazeera)
MENA House: “Iranian” Rockets Used in Attacks on Israel and Jordan

About 90 minutes later, the rockets struck Eilat in Israel and Aqaba in Jordan. One Jordanian was killed and four other people were injured.

On Tuesday, Israeli and Lebanese forces clashed on the border. Three Lebanese soldiers and a Lebanese journalist died. Lieutenant Colonel Dov Harari, an Israeli battalion commander, was killed, and a second Israeli officer was critically wounded. in an exchange with the Lebanese army.

Debate on Launch Location of "Iranian rockets"

A top Jordanian government official claims there is proof that the rockets were fired from the Sinai in Egypt; however, he did not elaborate on the precise location.

Ahmed Meslemani reported that Egyptian security officials have denied the assertion: "It would not be logical geographically to fire from the Sinai peninsula as the area is mountainous and with very high security."

An Egyptian intelligence official said that police and 100 Bedouin trackers searched the area in the Sinai thoroughly but found nothing. He added that surveillance cameras also picked up no indication of activity: "They (Jordanians and Israelis) said that the rocket was fired from the Pharaoh hotel close to Taba. We searched and we found nothing."

Comments

[Catherine]

Is the Middle East on the Brink of Another War?http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2008156,00.html?xid=rss-topstories

Drums of War: Israel and the "Axis of Resistance"
http://www.crisisgroup.org/en/regions/middle-east-north-africa/iraq-syria-lebanon/lebanon/097-drums-of-war-israel-and-the-axis-of-resistance.aspx" rel="nofollow">http://www.crisisgroup.org/en/regions/middle-ea...

[ChristinaEGY]

According to Meslemani it's going to be a very tough and unstable year for the region. I can imagine many of the states are going to want to avoid war simply because their economies will not sustain it. Diplomacy might be the more desired/necessary alternative.