Israel launches airstrikes on Gaza

PanARMENIAN.Net - Israel carried out a series of airstrikes in the Gaza Strip late Tuesday, December 27, killing a Palestinian militant wounding others. Israel said it targeted militants before they could carry out an attack on the border between Israel and Egypt.

Gaza Health Ministry official Dr. Moaiya Hassanain said the militant was killed and another two injured in the explosion when a rocket hit his motorcycle Tuesday, Dec. 27 evening.

The Islamic Jihad, a violent Palestinian group that frequently fires rockets and mortars at Israel, said the he was a former member. The Israeli military said in a statement it targeted a "terror squad," without elaborating.

Another airstrike hit a Hamas police vehicle later Tuesday, Dec. 27, injuring one Hamas officer and four others in the car, the Gaza health official said.

The Israeli military said it targeted "members of a global jihad terror group that were planning to attack the border."

In a statement, the military gave a list of the militants' names and said one of them used to be in Hamas before joining an even more radical jihadi group.

Such Israeli air attacks have been relatively rare since the end of a three-week Israeli war against Gaza militants three years ago, AP reported.