Israel must continue assassination operations in Gaza 'as of tonight,' minister says

Israeli Minister of Public Security Gilad Erdan said Tuesday that the country must return to its policy of "targeted killing of enemies" in the Gaza Strip amid a flare-up of violence along the border.

In an interview with Israel's Channel 10, the minister said Israel's assassination operations must continue in the south "as of tonight," while pointing an accusing finger at Hamas leaders who he said were "responsible for the escalation and deterioration in the security situation."

Underlining that Israel's attacks against Palestinian groups will intensify, Erdan said "It's true that we do not want an escalation, but on the other hand, we do not know whether Hamas and Islamic Jihad want it or not."

"Leaders of #Islamic Jihad & #Hamas: You have been forewarned," the minister also tweeted later in the day.

Israeli warplanes launched airstrikes on positions of Palestinian resistance factions in Gaza on Tuesday hours after the Israeli army said a volley of mortar shells were fired from the Palestinian territory into Israel, but were intercepted by the Iron Dome aerial defense system.

The Israeli raids targeted three positions of Islamic Jihad group and a position of Hamas in central and southern Gaza Strip, according to local residents.

An Israeli army spokesman confirmed the airstrikes on Twitter, saying the army "is currently operating in the Gaza Strip". There were no reports yet of casualties.

The Palestinian shelling came after four Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks on positions of Palestinian groups in the Gaza Strip in the past two days.

Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, said shelling was in response to Israeli "crimes".

This "was part of the natural right to defend our people and respond to Israeli crimes and assassinations of resistance fighters," Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said in a statement.

Tension has been running high across the occupied Palestinian territories since the United States relocated its embassy earlier this month from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, which was occupied by Israel in 1967 and represents the heart of the decades-long Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

At least 118 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the Gaza Strip since mass protests and clashes broke out on March 30, according to figures from the Gazan health ministry.

No Israelis have been killed during that time.

The Gaza Strip has been under Israeli blockade for the past 12 years, severely restricting access to vital supplies for the 2 million Palestinians packed into the narrow coastal enclave.