The IDF announced closures of Gaza border area roads and schools on Monday morning following threats of retaliation from Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) over the death of two of its members from Israeli airstrikes in Syria in response to a barrage of rockets launched on Israel from the Gaza Strip by the PIJ on Sunday night. Media reports on Monday morning said that the death toll from the Israeli strikes in Syria rose to six from the two reported on Sunday night. The IDF stated that roads and schools in communities closest to the Gaza border, including the cities of Sderot, Ashkelon and Netivot will be closed. About 55,000 students will remain home on Monday according to the Education Ministry. The train line between Ashkelon and Beer Sheva will be closed as well as train stations in Netivot, Sderot and Ofakim. Residents of Gaza border cities were instructed to remain at home if their workplaces do not have a nearby bomb shelter and to refrain from large outdoor gatherings. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Naftali Bennetא held a situation assessment meeting at the IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv on Sunday night with the participation of the  IDF Chief of Staff, the head of Shin Bet, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories and senior security officials. ראש הממשלה @netanyahu ושר הביטחון @naftalibennet קיימו הערכת מצב בקריה שבתל אביב בהשתתפות הרמטכ”ל, ראש השב”כ, ראש המל”ל, מתאם הפעולות בשטחים ובכירי מערכת הביטחון (צילום: אריאל חרמוני / משרד הביטחון) pic.twitter.com/9COiwH6CHn — חדשות 13 (@newsisrael13) February 23, 2020 In a rare acknowledgment, the IDF stated on Sunday night that they struck Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terror targets in Syria in response to the barrage of rocket strikes on Israel from the PIJ group in the Gaza Strip. “IDF fighter jets struck terror sites belonging to the PIJ terror group south of Damascus in Syria, as well as dozens of PIJ sites throughout the Gaza Strip,” Islamic Jihad said in a statement that the airstrikes on Damascus killed two of its members, identifying them as Salim Salim, 24, and Ziad Mansour, 23. It did not disclose their nationalities or elaborate on their roles. It vowed to respond to the deaths of its members. תמונת 2 מחבלי הג’יהאד האסלאמי שנהרגו בהפצצה הישראלית באזור דמשק:סלים אחמד סלים בן 24 וזיאד מנצור בן 23.אולם ארגון זכויות אדם סורי מוסר כי בתקיפה נהרגו 6 בני אדם. pic.twitter.com/ixtQxTQfOe — יוני בן מנחם yoni ben menachem (@yonibmen) February 24, 2020 Israel’s attack on Syrian targets triggered anti-aircraft fire from the country’s air defenses that shook Damascus. דמשק: הפעלת נמ סורי נגד מטוסי חיל האוויר הישראלי לטענתם התוקפים באזור דמשק במקביל לתקיפת מטרות גאפ בעזה https://t.co/DhnriXXtLc — Or Heller אור הלר (@OrHeller) February 23, 2020 A Syrian military statement reported an Israeli attack near Damascus International Airport and said its air defenses confronted Israeli rockets coming from the direction of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. It said the defenders intercepted or shot down most of them. Israel said its warplanes attacked targets of the Palestinian militant Islamic Jihad group south of Damascus in addition to sites in the Gaza Strip. It said the sites attacked were used for “research and development of armaments” that are manufactured in Syria and the Gaza Strip. It said the sites also produce dozens of […]

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