Israel says gunmen who came through Egypt kill 7

Israel says gunmen who came through Egypt kill 7

Squads of gunmen armed with heavy weapons and explosives crossed into southern Israel on Thursday, killing seven in an attack on buses, cars and an army patrol in one of the boldest attacks on the Jewish state in years, officials said. Israel said the Palestinian assailants came from Hamas-ruled Gaza and crossed through Egypt's Sinai Peninsula.

JERUSALEM (AP) — Squads of gunmen armed with heavy weapons and explosives crossed into southern Israel on Thursday, killing seven in an attack on buses, cars and an army patrol in one of the boldest attacks on the Jewish state in years, officials said. Israel said the Palestinian assailants came from Hamas-ruled Gaza and crossed through Egypt's Sinai Peninsula.

Exchanges of gunfire across the Israel-Egypt border continued late into the evening, but it was not clear whether assailants were still at large within Israeli territory, Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai said. Gaza militants fired a rocket at the southern city of Ashkelon Thursday night, but Israel's new missile defense system knocked it down, said Israel's chief military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Yoav Mordechai.

Israel hits Gaza after deadly attacks in southern Israel

Israel says an airstrike targeted top leaders of the Popular Resistance Committees in Gaza after a string of attacks killed seven Israelis.

Jerusalem (CNN) -- Israel's military said it launched an airstrike against militants in Gaza on Thursday, hours after a string of attacks on buses, civilian vehicles and soldiers left seven Israelis dead in the southern part of the country.

The action targeted top leaders of the Popular Resistance Committees in Gaza who were behind the attacks with the intention of kidnapping an Israeli civilian or soldier, the Israel Defense Forces said.