Israel Hits Gaza With Air Strikes

Israel launched another round of air strikes on the Gaza Strip last night, after Gaza fired a number of rockets deep into Israel. The air strikes hit a number of buildings belonging to Hamas, and initial reports indicate that some people were injured, according to the Jerusalem Post. On the Israeli side, no damage or injuries were reported; a round of retaliatory mortar fire landed in open fields.

The strike follows a similar exchange earlier this week. Today, Hamas called on the UN to step in to stop the "crime of the recent attacks on Gaza," accusing Israel of “exploiting regional instability to carry out massacres against Palestinians,” according to Haaretz. But PM Benjamin Netanyahu went on Israeli radio to vow to “respond with the utmost strength to stop terror.” The strikes also got an endorsement from the visiting Robert Gates, who said Israel had a right to defend itself from “these repugnant attacks.” (More Israel stories.)