| Five Palestinian militants have been | | | | the head of Force 17, Palestinian |
| killed in three separate Israeli air | | | | President Mahmoud Abbas' personal |
| strikes in the Gaza Strip. | | | | protection service, saying he had been |
| Israeli officials say they targeted | | | | wanted for six years for carrying out |
| militants trying to enter Israel, near a | | | | terrorist attacks. |
| crossing point in Gaza, and other Hamas | | | | Israeli military forces re-entered the |
| militants who were traveling in a car | | | | Gaza Strip in late June, after |
| laden with explosives. Noa Meir - a | | | | Palestinian militants abducted an |
| spokeswoman for the Israeli Defense | | | | Israeli soldier in a raid on a Gaza |
| Forces - says no particular Palestinian | | | | border outpost. |
| group was targeted. | | | | Wednesday, Israeli newspapers report |
| "It is not a matter of targeting Hamas, | | | | defense officials are concerned that |
| per se, but of targeting these | | | | Palestinian militants are trying to |
| terrorists and Hamas are these | | | | obtain advanced Russian-made anti-tank |
| terrorists. The first attack was against | | | | missiles. The missiles were used by |
| a Hamas terrorist cell on its way to | | | | Hezbollah militants in Lebanon during |
| carry out attacks against Israel," she | | | | the recent conflict there with deadly |
| said. "There were secondary explosives | | | | effectiveness. Israeli military |
| from their car, indicating they were on | | | | authorities say the bulk of their |
| their way to commit this attack. The | | | | casualties in Lebanon were caused by the |
| second was against terrorists who were | | | | missiles, which can penetrate heavy |
| involved in planning terrorist attacks | | | | armor and reinforced concrete |
| in the past and in the future." | | | | structures. |
| Tuesday, Israeli border police arrested | | | | |