Israel launches new offensive

GAZA — Israel has launched a new offensive against Palestinian Authority targets throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Israeli naval boats and helicopters attacked PA security installations in several areas of the Gaza Strip. In the West Bank, five PA security officers were killed during a clash near Ramallah.

Israeli military sources said the offensive was meant to destroy Palestinian positions used to launch mortar fire against Jewish settlements and Israeli army posts. They said the offensive lasted into early Monday when Israeli naval vessels struck at a PA coast guard post at Nusseirat in central Gaza.

At the same time, Israeli attack helicopters pounded PA armored personnel carriers in Gaza City and at the Jabalya refugee camp. The PA acquired 45 APCs from Russia, and Palestinian sources said the vehicles were being upgraded to enable them to engage in combat. PA sources said 15 people were injured and eight APCs were damaged.

Earlier, Israeli bulldozers, backed by tanks, entered Palestinian-controlled territory near Rafah and destroyed two buildings. The buildings were said to have been used by PA combatants.

In the West Bank, Israeli troops attacked PA positions near Tulkarm and Ramallah. A PA police command and a second building was destroyed in the Israeli operation north of Tulkarm.

In Betunia outside Ramallah, five PA officers were killed during a clash with Israeli troops.

"The Israel Defense Forces will continue to act firmly against terrorists and their launchers, who hurt both the Israeli population and the Palestinian population in every way they sees fit, and will not accept any harm done to Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers," an Israeli military statement said.

Israeli Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Shaul Mofaz said government policy is to limit PA freedom of action but not to destroy Arafat's regime. Mofaz said PA forces focus on attacking Israeli positions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip while the Islamic movements strike Israeli civilians in Israel.

On Monday, Israeli police found and exploded a bomb in the Tel Aviv suburb of Petah Tikvah. It was the fourth bomb planted in the city over the last six weeks.

PA officials said they had been expecting the Israeli military offensive and have called for the convening of the United Nations Security Council. They said the PA has increased coordination and cooperation among its dozen security services as well as heighted its alert for a wide-scale Israeli attack.

PA police have warned Palestinians not to abandon disabled vehicles without leaving a note with their name, address and telephone number on the car windshield. A police statement said Israel might place bombs in abandoned Palestinian cars.