Michael Armstrong, Associate Professor of Operations Research in Brock University’s Goodman School of Business, wrote a piece published in The Conversation on May 17 about rockets that were launched at Israel by militants in Gaza as well as the Israeli military’s response prior to the beginning of a ceasefire on Thursday, May 20.

He writes:

“Gaza militants have launched their “Sword of Jerusalem” rocket war with Israel by firing a symbolic salvo at Jerusalem and bigger ones elsewhere. Israel’s “Guardian of the Walls” operation responded with Iron Dome interceptors at home and airstrikes in Gaza.

As someone who’s researched Israeli missile defence systems for several years, the situation initially seemed to me like a repeat of their 2014 conflict, which showcased Israel’s advanced defences. But militants in Gaza have enhanced their rocket technology and tactics. That’s reminiscent of 2008, when Israel was more vulnerable to rockets and waged a three-week military offensive against Gaza.

According to the Israel Defense Forces, roughly 3,100 rockets have been fired from Gaza. That’s about as many as during the seven-week battle in 2014. (All rocket numbers in this article were reported by the Israel Defense Forces or Israel Security Agency. There is no way to independently verify most of them.) 

Israeli news reports say they’ve caused 10 civilian deaths and more than 564 injuries, while Israeli countermeasures have killed almost 200 Palestinians and resulted in scenes of carnage and devastation.”

Continue reading the full article here.