AFP
NOS News••Amended
The Israeli army says it intercepted several rockets fired from the Gaza Strip last night. They would be intended for the south of Israel.
In response, the Israeli army launched aerial attacks on targets in the Gaza Strip. There are no reports of casualties.
The news follows the major Israeli military operation of yesterday in the occupied West Bank. Nine Palestinians were killed. It was the deadliest Israeli action in the West Bank in twenty years.
After the violence in the West Bank, the Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad vowed revenge. No one has yet claimed responsibility for last night’s rocket attacks.
Air raid sirens went off twice in southern Israel. Three rockets were intercepted by Israel, one rocket landed in uninhabited areas and another failed to reach the Gaza border. As far as is known, no one was injured.
Escalation
The Israeli action in Jenin in the West Bank claimed the lives of eight men and a woman yesterday morning. It was a three-hour raid on a refugee camp. The army said it was looking for militants who would prepare major terrorist attacks.
President Abbas of the Palestinian Authority, which rules the West Bank, has announced a period of national mourning. Furthermore, the Palestinian security services have severed ties with Israel. They usually work together to track down militants.
Internationally, there has been concern about the escalation. The US State Department calls on all parties to remain calm.
