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After the northern Israeli city of Kiryat Shemona sustained a rocket salvo Wednesday, Jan. 14, the Israeli Air Force stepped up its reconnaissance overflights Wednesday and Thursday in an effort to seek out launchers in Southern Lebanon.Like the Palestinian Hamas, Lebanese Hizballah chiefs appear to believe that Israel's policy-makers will refrain from a resounding military assault to smash Hamas' military strength in Gaza once and for all. Therefore, Israel's Northern Command is preparing for Hizballah to fire more rockets in sync with its terrorist allies in Gaza. And indeed, the Kiryat Shemona attack turned out to be the overture for a long-range missile-rocket cascade from Gaza against a wide range of Israeli population centers.Both terrorist groups believe a two-front rocket offensive will demonstrate their military advantage over the Israel Defense Forces and enhance Hamas's leverage in the bargaining over a ceasefire in Gaza.The Siniora government in Beirut is trying hard to get another division posted in the South to help the Lebanese Army and UNIFIL do more to stop the rocket fire against Israel. DEBKAfile's military sources do not believe that, even with this extra division, the Lebanese Army and the UN force have much chance of offsetting Hizballah's total control of South Lebanon or reining in its rocket fire.As in the days of Noah....
