TEL AVIV — Israel has launched its first air strike since Hamas
captured the Gaza Strip.
Israeli helicopters struck Palestinian missile launch sites in the Gaza
Strip on Wednesday. The Israeli strike came in wake of Palestinian missile
fire toward Ashkelon hours earlier.
At least five Kassam-class, short-range missiles fell into Israel on
late Wednesday and two people were injured. Three of the missiles struck the
southern Israeli city of Sderot. In all, eight missiles landed in Israel.
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The Iranian-sponsored Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the
latest attacks. Jihad continued missile fire during the Fatah-Hamas war and
the Islamic takeover of the Gaza Strip last week.
Israel's military has expressed concern over missile strikes from the
Gaza Strip. Military sources said Hamas appeared to have decided to enable
Jihad and other insurgency groups to resume their daily missile salvos
against Israel despite the threat of heavy retaliation.
"The military is trying to demonstrate restraint," a senior military
source said. "Even the air strike [on Wednesday] was not against
infrastructure or major terrorist strongholds."
The source said any major operation in the Gaza Strip would require
approval by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Olmert was not expected to approve
such an operation until after a regional summit in Egypt on June 25 meant to
bolster the Fatah-led Palestinian regime in the West Bank.