Rocket Fire from Lebanon hits Israel, Gaza Fighting Continues

A Katyusha rocket from Lebanon landed in the town of Kiryat Shmona last night. No group took responsibility, and Israeli intelligence officials have said it is more likely that it was a Palestinian group than Hizbullah, which Israel believes does not want to open another front in the fighting between Israel and Hamas. That conflict has now entered its seventh week, as Israel stepped up air strikes on large buildings in Gaza and mortar and rocket fire from Gaza continued. A rocket struck a home in the southern city of Ashkelon and six Israelis were slightly wounded by glass shards. In Gaza, Israeli air strikes hit two high-rise buildings. Gaza police officials said one of the buildings, a 15-story high rise with dozens of apartments and shops, was completely destroyed, and another building called the Italian Complex, with 72 apartments and 60 stores, was badly damaged. Israel had warned the residents of both buildings to evacuate and there were no casualties although Gaza hospital officials said 25 people were wounded. Israel has started a new policy of destroying entire buildings if they believe rockets were fired from the building or if Hamas had an office there.