The Islamic group Hamas has vowed to avenge Israel's killing of one of its top military officials, threatening a new wave of violence in the Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation.
Israeli special forces killed Mr Muhanad al-Taher and one of his deputies in a raid on a house in the West Bank city of Nablus yesterday. Palestinians described Mr al-Taher as "the Engineer-4," the head of Hamas's military wing in Nablus and a bomb-maker at the top of Israel's most-wanted list.
"The assassination will increase Hamas's determination to continue Jihad and resistance," Mr Ismail Haniyah, a Hamas official in the Gaza Strip said. "Hamas will never forget the blood of its martyrs."
Israeli security sources said Mr Taher (26) and his men were responsible for the deaths of more than 100 Israelis in suicide bombings, including an attack on a Jerusalem city bus that killed 19 people nearly two weeks ago.
Defence Minister Mr Binyamin Ben Eliezer congratulated his troops on their "impressive success" after the mission.
"I am very proud of this operation, the most important in two months, which was an impressive success that allowed us to eliminate a terrorist responsible for the deaths of 117 Israelis," he said on army radio.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, meanwhile, said it was "an important operation because he (al-Taher) was a killer, he was responsible for serious crimes."
Palestinian witnesses said Israeli troops surrounded the home of one of Mr al-Taher's associates in Nablus, called on its occupants to evacuate the building and opened fire after most of them had left.
Mr al-Taher and one of his deputies were killed and a third militant was wounded, Israeli security sources said.
The Israeli strike followed the removal of 11 Jewish settler outposts in the West Bank ordered by Defense Minister Mr Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, who vowed to dismantle settlements vulnerable to the Palestinian revolt.
Adding to the pressure on the Palestinians, US Secretary of State Colin Powell said the US had no further plans to talk with Palestinian leader Mr Yasser Arafat.
President Bush last week called for Mr Arafat's replacement as Palestinian leader, saying his administration was tainted by terrorism and corruption.
Mr Arafat, offered to meet Bush "any time, anywhere" to promote Middle East peace, despite the president's call for his removal.
Mr Arafat, who has announced Palestinian elections for January, said it was impossible to carry out reforms demanded by the international community while Israeli military occupation of Palestinian territory remained "complete and total."
The executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, headed by Mr Arafat, said on yesterday it rejected any attempts to sideline Arafat or his Palestinian Authority.
"The executive committee is confident that the whole civilized world will not accept the imposition of guardians on the Palestinian people," the committee said in a statement.