Israel Continues to Strike Gaza; Khyber Pass Closed to NATO
COLLINS: Israel launching new air strikes this morning, taking aim at suspected Hamas targets. Several Hamas government buildings hit in Gaza. And meanwhile Israeli defense forces say Hamas fired more than two dozen rockets into Israel today. At least one landing not far from our own Paula Hancocks, just a couple of hours ago. She is OK. But, she's at the Israeli/Gaza border where Israeli tanks and bulldozers have massed. CNN's Ben Wedeman is joining us now live from southern Israel, with the very latest from there. Ben, hello to you.</s>BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Heidi. It's actually relatively quiet compared to yesterday, according to the Israeli defense forces. More than 70 rockets were fired from Gaza, into southern Israel today. As you said, just 25 so far. We did about an hour ago, hear the impact of three rockets to the south of here. We're in the Israeli city of Ashkelon, which is not far from the border with Gaza. In the meantime the Israeli air force continues its air strikes against targets in Gaza itself, hitting several government buildings. And today we saw that the Israeli leaders, the prime minister and the defense minister visited various military installations in the southern part of the country. The Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert saying that there are several more steps to this operation yet to go -- Heidi.</s>COLLINS: Well, that would be a question I'm sure that everybody would like to know. Ben, I know you've been covering this region for many, many years. What is likely, and is there really any way to know what Israel's next step could be?</s>WEDEMAN: Well, certainly the Israelis are being quite mum on their specific plans. But all indications are that they are preparing for some sort of ground invasion of Gaza. They've had a limited call-up of the reserves, many tanks, bulldozers and infantry have been massed on the borders with Gaza. But of course, this would be a much more dangerous phase, certainly for the Israelis if not for the people of Gaza, because it's one thing to bomb from the air. It's another when you send troops into the crowded, cramped alleys in streets of Gaza where Hamas has prepared for exactly this eventuality. So, that's really what the next stage could be in this ongoing operation -- Heidi.</s>COLLINS: Understood. All right. Our Ben Wedeman for us live today. Thank you so much, Ben. You know, our iReporters have been weighing in on both sides of this conflict. And CNN's Josh Levs is joining me now with a look at what our iReporters are saying. Because some have been writing in and then others sending in photographs, as well.</s>JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right. Photos, videos, we get some of each. We're having a lot of really passionate responses to this conflict. One of them that we got is a video, comes to us from Bob Joseph.</s>BOB JOSEPH, IREPORTER: As strategically targeted as Israel is, because of what Hamas is doing and because of them putting their missiles in playgrounds, near schools and hospitals, they have created an environment where they ensure that some civilians can get hurt. And what they target themselves is, they target children and schools and hospitals. That is what makes Hamas the most evil entity -- one of the most evil entities on this planet.</s>LEVS: Well, some iReporters see the conflict very differently. I want to go right to this graphic here. This from David White, who wrote us this: "I'm appalled at the amount of overkill that's being used in Gaza. Rocket-propelled grenades against unstoppable air strikes? Who is terrorizing whom." Maggie Dowling says Israel should defend itself. She sent us a video but she also says this.</s>MAGGIE DOWLING, IREPORTER: I also believe that Israel's retaliation against Hamas in the Gaza strip, the scale of that was way above and beyond what it should have done. Israel also needs to cease fire immediately. And I do believe that Israel has every right to protect itself and its citizens. But to what end will this current strike against Gaza come to? What is Israel's position in Gaza? What is their goal? What is their strategy?</s>LEVS: We are looking at all viewpoints here. There's a conversation really going on right at ireport.com. We encourage you -- send us your videos and your photos. And Heidi, we're going to keep bringing some of them right here to you on the air.</s>COLLINS: Yes, great. Some really good stuff there. All right, Josh. Appreciate it.</s>LEVS: Thanks.</s>COLLINS: And later today, we are going to be hearing from Daniel Ayalon, the Israeli Ambassador to the United States. He's going to address the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. And of course, you will see that live, right here on CNN. A grim security picture now coming out of Afghanistan. The U.S. Ambassador there, William Wood, says the number of roadside bombs have doubled this year. So have kidnappings. Much of the surge in violence in eastern and southern Afghanistan is being blamed on Taliban militants. And that's who the Pakistan army is going after. Because of the new military operation, Pakistan has closed a key supply route -- it's the Khyber Pass -- which NATO uses to get fuel, food and other goods to their troops. Since the first of November, Pakistanis say convoys have come under frequent attack by militants.</s>COLLINS: A leading figure in the jazz world has died. Grammy- winning trumpeter Freddy Hubbard lost a long battle with heart disease yesterday, in a Los Angeles suburb. Hubbard's career spanned five decades. His publicist says he was probably among the five greatest trumpet players ever. Freddy Hubbard was 70 years old. A family Christmas tragedy. An 11-year-old girl walks miles in the snow. Now her father faces charges in her death.