Three Islamic militant leaders killed in Israeli airstrikes

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Thirteen people were killed in the airstrike. Associated Press/Photo by Fatima Shbair

Three Islamic militant leaders killed in Israeli airstrikes

Israeli airstrikes killed at least 13 people and injured 20 in the Gaza Strip early Tuesday morning, the Palestinian Health Ministry said. The dead include three senior commanders of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group. Israeli Defense Forces said the leaders were responsible for launching a rocket toward Israel and were planning further attacks. The airstrikes Tuesday targeted the group’s military facilities in Gaza, Israeli authorities said.

How have leaders responded? Officials in Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Qatar, and the United Nations condemned the airstrikes. Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on Tuesday warned that the strikes would lead to more fighting, saying Isreal would “pay the price” for the killings. Israel closed schools, beaches, and highways throughout southern Israel in anticipation of retaliatory strikes. People who live within 25 miles of Gaza were advised to stay close to bomb shelters.

Dig deeper: Listen to Emma Freire, Myrna Brown, and Paul Butler’s report on The World and Everything in It podcast about Israel’s judicial reform.

Lauren Canterberry

Lauren Canterberry is a reporter for WORLD. She graduated from the World Journalism Institute and the University of Georgia with a degree in journalism, both in 2017. She worked as a local reporter in Texas and now lives in Georgia with her husband.