Operation Pillar of Defense

Operation Pillar of Defense

On November 14, 2012, Israel launched Operation Pillar of Defense in response to a barrage of more than 150 rockets fired into Israel in a single day by Gaza-based terror organizations. Israel’s main goal for the operation was to decrease the number of rocket attacks on Israeli civilians.

The operation began with the elimination of the head of Hamas’s military branch in Gaza, Ahmed Jabari. During the eight-day operation, Israel targeted more than 1,500 terrorist sites, including major command headquarters, control rooms and Hamas bases.

Meanwhile, terrorist groups fired more than 1,500 rockets into Israel, reaching into Tel Aviv and Jerusalem for the first time. Six Israeli civilians were killed, and more than 200 others were wounded. Many more civilians, including numerous children, had to be treated for mental trauma following the attacks. Hours before a ceasefire, an Arab-Israeli detonated a bus bomb, wounding 28.

Despite the horrors of the conflict, Israel managed to significantly damage the launching capabilities and missile arsenals of terrorist organizations in Gaza, and a ceasefire was reached after days of negotiations.