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Israeli raids kill Gaza militants Israeli raids kill Gaza militants
(about 2 hours later)
At least three Palestinian militants have been killed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza, bringing the total killed overnight to at least eight. Israeli air strikes have killed at least 10 Palestinian militants in Gaza, including a top military commander of the Islamic Jihad group.
Among those killed in a series of strikes was a senior Islamic Jihad commander, Majed Harazin. Israel accused Majed Harazin of leading rocket and mortar attacks against its territory. Reports say he is the most senior militant to be killed in a year.
The Israeli army accused him of leading rocket and mortar attacks against them. Israel frequently targets militants in response to such attacks. The attack on his car killed an Islamic Jihad associate, while three more raids killed at least eight other militants. Israel's deputy defence minister saidhe was "very pleased" with the results.
An Islamic Jihad spokesman said the group would retaliate for the losses. The important thing is not the number of them who are hit, but their place in the organisation's hierarchy Israel's deputy Defence Minister Matan Vilnai Islamic Jihad described the deaths as a "big loss" and threatened "a wave of martyrdom operations" in return.
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. Thousands of people took to the streets in funeral processions on Tuesday for the dead militants, whose bodies were wrapped in black Islamic Jihad flags.
A third member of the group and six bystanders were wounded in the raid, Palestinian health workers said. In other violence, an Islamic Jihad military commander was killed in what appeared to be an Israeli commando raid in the northern West Bank.
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. Rocket cell
Barak pledge Israeli aircraft first struck after dark in Gaza City, killing Majed Harazin and another militant, and wounding a third passenger and six bystanders.
Just hours later, a second strike in the south of Gaza killed three other Islamic Jihad militants, the movement said. Hours later, a second strike in the south of Gaza killed four other Islamic Jihad militants, the movement said. One of the bodies was not found until the morning.
Mr Barak promised action during a visit to Sderot, in southern IsraelMr Barak promised action during a visit to Sderot, in southern Israel
The Israeli Army said the air strike was aimed at a cell that was about to fire rockets at Israel. Gunfire rang out across Gaza's crowded urban areas when news of Mr Harazin's killing was announced over mosque loudspeakers.
Islamic Jihad supporters gathered to mourn the dead and pledged revenge. The Israeli Army said the second strike was aimed at a cell that was about to fire rockets at Israel.
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. Islamic Jihad is a small radical group that has launched most of the rocket fire from Gaza in the past two years, which has killed about a dozen people in the vicinity of the narrow coastal territory.
The strikes came after Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak visited the southern Israeli town of Sderot on Monday. Early on Tuesday, a third strike was reported to have targeted militants as they walked out of a mosque in the Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza.
"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. Using a radio frequency employed by Gaza militants, Islamic Jihad ordered its fighters to stay out of their vehicles and remove mobile phone batteries to foil Israeli electronic tracking.
"For the moment, the army is continuing to carry out ground and air operations," he said. "I'm very pleased with our achievements last night," Israel's deputy Defence Minister Matan Vilnai told Army Radio.
"The important thing is not the number of them who are hit, but their place in the organisation's hierarchy," he added.
Another air strike killed a member of Hamas manning a security post in southern Gaza.
Israel's leadership has been under public pressure launch a major ground offensive in Gaza to put an end to rocket and mortar fire from the territory which is run by the Hamas militant group.