An officer was killed and at least 17 people were injured in Israeli missile strikes on Palestinian targets in the Gaza Strip a day after Israel's leader Mr Ariel Sharon warned of "uncompromising retaliation".
The Israeli army said in a statement it launched this morning's strikes in response to Palestinian mortar bomb attacks on a Jewish settlement in the Gaza Strip earlier today.
Dr Wael Khweitar, a 27-year-old lieutenant in the naval police who was also a doctor, died in the attack on a naval headquarters building on a coastal road which leads to the Erez border crossing in the northern Gaza Strip, Palestinian hospital sources said.
They said seven police officers were wounded.
In the refugee camp of Deir al-Balah, a second surface-to-surface missile struck the local military intelligence headquarters, Palestinian police said. They said 10 people were injured.
The Israeli army said it had acted because mortar attacks on Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip were becoming routine.
Mr Sharon warned yesterday Israel would retaliate without compromise to Palestinian attacks, Israeli state television reported.
Mr Sharon, in a telephone conversation with US Secretary of State Mr Colin Powell, accused the Palestinian Authority of doing nothing to end "the terrorism" and violence. He warned his military would respond robustly, according to a television report late yesterday.
He said the security situation in the region had gone beyond "the limits of what can be tolerated".
The US has exhorted Mr Sharon and Palestinian leader Mr Yasser Arafat to stop the violence and has especially condemned Israel's policy of building more settlements as well as the Israeli army firing on a Palestinian convoy carrying officials returning from security talks last week.
AFP &