Israel and Gaza militants exchange fire after deadly strikes

Israeli jets have pounded militant targets in Gaza as rockets rained on southern Israel, hours after a wave of Israeli air strikes on the coastal enclave killed at least 11 people, including a senior militant and a five-year-old girl.

The fighting that began on Friday (5 August) with Israel’s targeted killing of a senior commander of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group continued throughout the night, drawing the two sides closer to an all-out war.

The territory’s Hamas rulers appeared to stay on the sidelines of the conflict, keeping its intensity contained for now.

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