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Israeli air strike kills Hamas military chief Jabari | Israeli air strike kills Hamas military chief Jabari |
(35 minutes later) | |
The head of the military wing of the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, Ahmed Said Khalil al-Jabari, has been killed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza City. | |
He and another senior Hamas official died when the car they were travelling in was hit. | |
It appears to have been the first step of an Israeli operation against militant groups in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip. | |
A series of air strikes are now being reported across Gaza. | |
The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) said it had launched "Operation Cloud Pillar" against Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other militant groups. | |
In recent days, Israeli officials had said they were considering assassinating senior figures in Hamas following a wave of heavy rocket-fire. | |
Mr Jabari, who was 46, is the most senior Hamas official to be killed in the Gaza Strip since the major Israeli offensive four years ago. | |
Israel's Shin Bet security service confirmed he had been targeted, saying he was responsible for "all terrorist activities against Israel from Gaza" in the last decade. | |
"Jabari was responsible for financing and directing military operations and attacks against Israel. His elimination today is a message to Hamas officials in Gaza that if they continue promoting terrorism against Israel, they will be hurt," it said. | |
'Heinous crime' | |
Since Saturday, four Palestinian civilians and three militants, including Mr Jabari, have been killed in Gaza, and dozens injured. Eight Israelis have also been hurt. | |
Hamas spokesman Taher Anunu told BBC Arabic: "This was a heinous crime that will have repercussions. | |
"The Palestinian government will call for the trial of those responsible for the crime, and for hitting a civilian area, but the Palestinian factions have the right to respond in a way they see fit." | |
The BBC's Jon Donnison in Gaza City says the sound of gunfire echoed through the streets after Wednesday's air strike which killed Mr Jabari. | |
There are fears the attack could lead to another war, he adds. | There are fears the attack could lead to another war, he adds. |