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Israel ponders fresh Gaza tactics Israel vows response to Gaza fire
(about 2 hours later)
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has discussed possible responses to rocket fire from Gaza with his defence chiefs. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has ordered what officials called limited military action in Gaza after renewed rocket fire by Palestinian militants.
On Tuesday, the armed wing of the Hamas movement said a five-month truce with Israel was now over and fired a barrage of rockets from Gaza into Israel. Mr Olmert ruled out a larger ground offensive, but said the army could carry out "pinpoint" operations against rocket-launching crews, officials said.
On Tuesday, the armed wing of the Hamas movement said a five-month truce with Israel was over.
It fired a barrage of rockets from Gaza into Israel, but no-one was injured.
The attack was in revenge for the killing of nine Palestinians by the Israeli army, Hamas said.The attack was in revenge for the killing of nine Palestinians by the Israeli army, Hamas said.
Deputy Defence Minister Ephraim Sneh said Israel was not seeking to escalate the conflict with the Palestinians. 'All options open'
The decision came at a meeting between Mr Olmert and his defence chiefs.
In a statement, the government pledged "harsh steps" against those responsible for the rocket fire.
"The army has been ordered to continue its preparations to prevent other attacks against Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip," the statement said.
But a government spokeswoman, Miri Eisin, said that there was no large-scale action planned for Gaza.
"They didn't plan any operation. They decided to leave all options open," the Associated Press news agency quoted her as saying.
Before the meeting, Deputy Defence Minister Ephraim Sneh said that Israel was not seeking to escalate the conflict with the Palestinians.
"A wider operation will be carried out only when it is clear that the benefit is greater than the damage that will result," Mr Sneh told Army Radio."A wider operation will be carried out only when it is clear that the benefit is greater than the damage that will result," Mr Sneh told Army Radio.
But Immigration Minister Zeev Boim has said the government should consider tough military measures to stop such attacks. Ghazi Hamad, spokesman for the Palestinian government, told the BBC he hoped Israel would reconsider its decision.
Political sources quoted by Reuters say Mr Olmert, whose popularity has flagged since Israel's inconclusive war in Lebanon last year, was not leaning towards a massive assault. Efforts were being made to calm the Palestinian armed groups, and Israeli action would only complicate the situation and likely lead to further bloodshed, he said.
Meanwhile Egypt has tried to restore the Hamas truce after Tuesday's attacks, which did not cause any casualties in Israel. Meanwhile Egypt has tried to restore the Hamas truce after Tuesday's attacks.
Egyptian security officials held talks with both Hamas's Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades and the Islamic Jihad group, hoping to avert the possibility of an Israeli invasion of Gaza.Egyptian security officials held talks with both Hamas's Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades and the Islamic Jihad group, hoping to avert the possibility of an Israeli invasion of Gaza.
The Hamas-led Palestinian government says it is interested in maintaining the truce.The Hamas-led Palestinian government says it is interested in maintaining the truce.