March 9, 2012
Rockets hit Israel, and airstrike kills Palestinian militant group’s leader in Gaza
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Palestinians look at the remains of a vehicle after it exploded in Gaza City on Mar. 9. Photo by REUTERS/Suhaib Salem
Palestinian rockets from Gaza wounded several Israelis, and an Israeli airstrike killed the leader of a Palestinian terrorist group.
The Friday evening hostilities reportedly began with the firing of two mortar shells from Gaza into Israel.
Shortly thereafter, an Israeli airstrike on a vehicle in Gaza killed Zuhair Qaisi, the secretary general of the Popular Resistance Committees, and another member of the group, The Jerusalem Post reported.
Palestinians responded with a rocket barrage. As of 11 p.m. in Israel, Ynet placed the number of rockets fired into Israel at more than 20 and reported that four Israelis were hurt, one of them seriously.
The Israel Defense Forces said in a statement that the squad that it hit was “responsible for planning a combined terror attack that was to take place via Sinai in the coming days.”
The PRC promised revenge.
“All options are open before the fighters to respond to this despicable crime. The assassination of our chief will not end our resistance,” Abu Attiya, a PRC spokesman said.
Following the rocket barrage, Israeli airstrikes hit two cells in Gaza attempting to launch rockets into Israel.
