LOC12:31
09:31 GMT
GAZA, Jan 9 (KUNA) -- Salvos of missiles roared anew in direction of
southern Israel on Wednesday and Israeli aircraft went into action to hit a
location in the north of Gaza Strip where the rockets were unleashed.
Spokesman of the Israeli Army told Israel Radio five missiles were fired
from the north of Gaza Strip targeting southern Israel. Three of the rockets
crashed near the town of Zekim and two others near Sderot. The rockets caused
no losses.
Al-Quds Brigades, military wing of Islamic Jihad, said it was responsible
for firing the new salvo of missiles, adding that its attack was "in
retaliation for US President George W Bush's visit to the region due later
today."
The National Resistance Brigades, the military wing of the Democratic Front
for the Liberation of Palestine, said it was responsible for hitting an
Israeli military position with a rocket in eastern part of the strip.
Al-Nasser Salah-Eddine, the military arm of the Popular Resistance
Committees in Palestine, said in a statement one of its fighters was killed in
an Israeli air strike that targeted a group of its guerrillas near the town of
Beit Lahia in the north of the strip earlier today.
Amjad Abdel Dayem, 26, a member of a missile unit, was killed and four
fellow fighter were wounded in the strike.
The group confirmed that the raid was carried out after the unit launched
missiles on southern Israel.
Meanwhile, a spokesman of the Israeli Army declared blocking all
checkpoints around the strip and the West Bank as a security precaution ahead
of Bush's visit.
Israel has declared security alert ahead of the expected visit of the US
president.
In a statement, another Islamic organization, Hamas, condemned Bush's
regional whirlwind saying it "would be part of international schemes against
the Palestinian cause." (end)
zt.rk
KUNA 091231 Jan 08NNNN