World Tribune.com

Israel assassinates two Hamas figures

Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Friday, June 13, 2003

GAZA CITY Ñ Israel has assassinated another leading Hamas insurgent.

Israeli attack helicopters fired missiles toward a vehicle that contained two Hamas members. Yasser Tahar and Jihad Sarour as well as five passersby were killed in the attack in Gaza City on Thursday.

Israeli military sources identified Tahar as a senior Hamas commander who was involved in smuggling weapons for the insurgency group. The sources said Tahar was as an aide of former Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif, who engineered scores of suicide strikes.

"As a government responsible for the security of its citizens, we must wage a war to the bitter end because no one else, at least at this stage, will do it," Israeli Deputy Defense Minister Zeev Boim said.

So far, five Hamas fugitives were killed in the last three days. Hamas has responded to the attacks with a suicide bombing and several Kassam-2 missile strikes. Seventeen people were killed in a Hamas suicide bombing in a packed Jerusalem bus on Wednesday.

Hamas fired five Kassam-2 missiles toward southern Israel on Thursday and Friday. One missile damaged a factory in the Israeli city of Sderot, the main target of Hamas for more than a year.

On late Thursday, Hamas declared what it termed a holy war against Israel. In a communique, the group warned foreigners to leave the Gaza Strip.

In Jenin, two senior members of the Islamic Jihad were killed in an operation by Israel's Border Guard paramilitary force. Israeli military sources said the two were killed in a gun battle.

On Friday, Israel's state radio reported that President George Bush telephoned PA Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas. The radio said Abbas pledged to achieve a ceasefire by Palestinian insurgency groups.

Print this Article Print this Article Email this article Email this article Subscribe to this Feature Free Headline Alerts
Google
Search Worldwide Web Search WorldTribune.com Search WorldTrib Archives

See current edition of Geostrategy-Direct.com

Return to World Tribune.com Front Cover