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Israel vows revenge for rockets Israel hits Gaza militants' homes
(about 2 hours later)
Israeli Defence Minister Amir Peretz has said Palestinian militants will pay a heavy price for a rocket attack which killed an Israeli woman. Israeli airstrikes have hit the homes of several senior Palestinian militants in Gaza, wounding at least one person.
The strikes follow several Palestinian rocket attacks which killed one Israeli civilian and wounded two others.
Israeli Defence Minister Amir Peretz said Palestinian militants would pay a heavy price for the attacks.
An Israeli military spokeswoman said the militants' homes were hit because they were being used to store weapons and to hold "terrorist" meetings.
Telephone warning
The first Israeli helicopters struck the Shathi refugee camp outside Gaza City at just before midnight on Wednesday, hitting the home of a prominent member of the Popular Resistance Committees.
Shortly afterwards, similar attacks hit the homes of senior Hamas militants in the Jabaliya refugee camp and in Rafah.
In each case, the Israelis phoned the homes and warned the occupants.
At least one person was wounded in the first attack, Palestinian officials said.
Israel had been promising retaliation for Wednesday's wave of rocket attacks on southern Israel that were launched from Gaza.
Militants from the armed wing of the governing Hamas movement and Islamic Jihad said they had fired the rockets into the Israeli town of Sderot.Militants from the armed wing of the governing Hamas movement and Islamic Jihad said they had fired the rockets into the Israeli town of Sderot.
Israel has been carrying out raids in Gaza intended to stop such attacks. The Palestinians said they were retaliating for recent Israeli attacks on Gaza, including an artillery strike on Beit Hanoun last week that killed 19 civilians.
Israeli airstrikes hit the homes of two Palestinian militants on Wednesday evening, but without casualties. In Geneva, the UN condemned Israel over the deaths, which an Israeli military investigation has blamed on technical failures.
The Israeli military said it had targeted weapons stores in the homes, one in the Shathi refugee camp outside Gaza City and the other in the Jabalya refugee camp. In a special session, the UN Human Rights Council voted to send a fact-finding mission to Beit Hanoun.
In Geneva, the UN condemned Israel for an artillery strike in Gaza last week, which killed 19 Palestinian civilians. 'Heavy price'
In a special session, the UN Human Rights Council voted to send a fact-finding mission to the scene of the off-course strike, the town of Beit Hanoun. Israeli police said six rockets fell in and around Sderot, near the Gaza border. At least three rockets were later fired at Ashkelon.
An Israeli military investigation has blamed technical failures for the deaths. A 57-year-old woman died and a man in his 20s and a teenager were seriously wounded.
'Extremely serious' The Israeli defence minister said Palestinian militants would pay a heavy price.
Police say six rockets fell in and around Sderot, near the Gaza border. "We will move against those who are involved in the firing of rockets, starting from their leaders and down to the last of their terrorists."
A 57-year-old woman died and a man in his 20s was seriously wounded.
Later, militants fired at least three on Ashkelon, with no casualties reported.
There have been several claims of responsibility for the fire on Sderot, including one from the armed wing of Hamas. It said the attack was a response to the deaths in Beit Hanoun.
"These organisations will pay a heavy price," the Israeli defence minister said.
"We will move against those who are involved in the firing of rockets, starting from their leaders and down to the last of their terrorists," Mr Peretz added.
Fear and panic
Qassam rockets are fired into Israel from Gaza by Palestinian militants on a daily basis.Qassam rockets are fired into Israel from Gaza by Palestinian militants on a daily basis.
They rarely cause death or serious injury, but do cause fear and panic. In all, nine people, all civilians, are thought to have been killed in Israel by Qassam rockets since the first fatalities in June 2004.They rarely cause death or serious injury, but do cause fear and panic. In all, nine people, all civilians, are thought to have been killed in Israel by Qassam rockets since the first fatalities in June 2004.
The last time someone was confirmed to have been killed inside Israel by Palestinian rocket fire was in July 2005.The last time someone was confirmed to have been killed inside Israel by Palestinian rocket fire was in July 2005.
Israel cites the threat from Qassam rockets as the main reason for its military operations in the Gaza Strip.Israel cites the threat from Qassam rockets as the main reason for its military operations in the Gaza Strip.
Almost 400 Palestinians, many of them civilians, have died in such operations since late June 2006.Almost 400 Palestinians, many of them civilians, have died in such operations since late June 2006.
The UN's chief human rights official, Louise Arbour, says she will visit Israel and the Palestinian territories next week to examine the current situation facing civilians. She will hold talks with the authorities on both sides, as well as with human rights groups.The UN's chief human rights official, Louise Arbour, says she will visit Israel and the Palestinian territories next week to examine the current situation facing civilians. She will hold talks with the authorities on both sides, as well as with human rights groups.