Israel's patience finally wore out Tuesday, after weeks of security officials warning Jerusalem would not sit quiet indefinitely in face of escalating terror.

Defense Ministry Sha'ul Mofaz told Israel Radio that after months of restraint, Israel had no choice but to now go on offensive as a result of Abbas's continued failure to eliminate threat of anti-Jewish terrorism as stipulated in Road Map peace plan.

Lt. Col. Erez Winner, IDF operations officer for Judea and Samaria, said renewed anti-terror activity would focus on Islamic Jihad, for time being.

“Anyone we know who is affiliated with this organization is a legitimate target,” Winner told reporters.

Following early morning arrests, “Palestinian” terrorists in Gaza Strip fired mortar shells and a Kassam rocket at area Jewish communities, damaging several homes and vehicles.

“This inherently is not a diplomatic task. Smoke and mirrors will not work.”

Based on PA's failure to honor its word, Gingrich advocated far less restraint in Israeli military responses to attacks on its civilians.

“When a neighborhood shelters terrorists, it should not be surprised at a violent response. When a rocket or mortar is fired from a neighborhood, people should expect retaliatory fire. When someone advocates killing Israelis, they should expect to be killed by those they plan to kill,” he insisted.

Gingrich pointed out disparity between Israeli toleration for “Palestinian” terror for sake of an allusive peace and America's massive military response to Islamic terrorist attacks on its civilians.

If, relative to population size, as many Americans had been murdered by terrorists as Israeli Jews, reaction of United States would be anything but restraint, regardless of diplomatic and political considerations, high-profile Republican suggested.