Background
After the Gaza-Egypt border breach by Hamas during an Israeli blockade of Gaza, Shin Bet officials concluded the Palestinian militant groups had smuggled large numbers of longer-ranged missiles, such as Katyushas and Grads into the strip that were capable of reaching Ashkelon, a city six times as large as the rocket-battered town of Sderot.
On February 27, 2008, Hamas, the Popular Resistance Committees and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad fired a rocket barrage, in which they fired for the first time six Grad missiles at the industrial city of Ashkelon. While only a few people were lightly injured, the attack had a profound psychological impact. The Israeli Prime Minister and several other minister vowed a tough response. The next day, the IDF started an operation to halt, or at least decrease the rocket fire.
Read more about this topic: Operation Hot Winter
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