April 15, 2011Grad Missiles Land Near Ashdod, Hundreds of Thousands in Syrian Streets

Two grad missiles landed today near Ashdod. No one was hurt and no damage was caused. The missiles were not intercepted by Iron Dome, as there is no Iron Dome system in Ashdod yet, maybe next year. The attack, which was apparently not carried out by Hamas, but by one of the splinter groups, comes on the same day an Italian aid worker was kidpapped and then killed by one of the splinter groups nominally aligned with Al Qaeda. According to Israeli sources there are now ten groups, besides Hamas and the Islmaic Jihad, operating in Gaza. Each group is trying to be more militant than the next.

Today Assad took a different approach in Syria. Instead of attacking the demonstrators, Assad allowed them to demonstrate without interference. As a result, hundreds of thousands came out into the streets in almost every Syrian City. The first signs of panic with the Syrian regime seemed apparent, with reports that top officials have begun to send their families out of the country.