Post by Salem6 on Dec 18, 2007 10:15:09 GMT
At least three Palestinian militants have been killed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza, bringing the total killed overnight to at least eight.
One strike targeted an Islamic Jihad car full of explosives
Among those killed in a series of strikes was a senior Islamic Jihad commander, Majed Harazin.
The Israeli army accused him of leading rocket and mortar attacks against them. Israel frequently targets militants in response to such attacks.
An Islamic Jihad spokesman said the group would retaliate for the losses.
The first Israeli strike happened in Gaza City. Majed Harazin and another Islamic Jihad militant died when their car was destroyed in an air strike.
A third member of the group and six bystanders were wounded in the raid, Palestinian health workers said.
The radio station of Hamas, the Islamist movement that controls Gaza, reported that the car was filled with explosives and called on people to stay away from the burning wreck.
Barak pledge
Just hours later, a second strike in the south of Gaza killed three other Islamic Jihad militants, the movement said.
The Israeli Army said the air strike was aimed at a cell that was about to fire rockets at Israel.
Islamic Jihad supporters gathered to mourn the dead and pledged revenge.
Early on Tuesday, a third strike was reported to have targeted militants as they walked out of a mosque in the Jabalya refugee camp in northern Gaza.
The strikes came after Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak visited the southern Israeli town of Sderot on Monday.
"We will find a solution to the rocket problem but in the meantime we have to support each other," Mr Barak told residents - who urged him to do more to end rocket and mortar fire by Palestinian militants.
"For the moment, the army is continuing to carry out ground and air operations," he said.
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7149066.stm