TEL AVIV, Israel — Since the beginning of the year, Israel, under the direction of Defense Minister Moshe "Bogie" Ya'alon, has pushed the envelope of understandings reached through Egyptian mediation that produced one of the more durable cease-fires in the aftermath of "Pillar of Cloud" in the waning days of 2012.
Ya'alon’s toolbox apparently includes a revived policy of targeted assassination. This time, the focus is not prominent Hamas leaders like Ahmad Jabari, whose assassination in November 2012 sparked the opening of Israel’s “Pillar of Cloud” attack, but less prominent jihadist "rebels" who answer to no one.