Soldiers feared anti-tank missile would be launched at them.
By YAAKOV KATZWounded gunman 311(photo credit: Associated Press)
After weeks of relative quiet, clashes erupted along the border with the Gaza Strip on Wednesday as IDF troops opened fire at a terrorist cell approaching the border fence.Two Palestinians were killed and several others were wounded by Israeli gunfire near Beit Hanun in the northern Gaza Strip. The dead men were reportedly known Islamic Jihad operatives.RELATED:Donkey detonated on Gaza borderIAF strikes Gaza terrorist tunnelsThe cell, consisting of several men, was seen approaching the border. IDF commanders authorized a nearby tank to open fire, fearing that the cell planned to launch an anti-tank missile at soldiers who were patrolling the border.Since Operation Cast Lead 19 months ago, the IDF has noted a sharp drop in the number of terrorist attacks from the Gaza Strip, and particularly in the number of rockets fired at Israeli communities.IDF sources have warned, however, that while Hamas and Islamic Jihad have cut back their rocket attacks, they are still plotting large-scale attacks along the border.
