Israeli soldiers shot and critically wounded two Hamas gunmen today in a fresh round of violence triggered by the firing of mortars at Israel from the Gaza Strip.
The confrontation followed a series of Israeli air strikes overnight against Hamas targets after Prime Minister Ehud Olmert pledged unlimited military action aimed at halting rocket fire from Gaza that has killed two Israelis in the past week.
Hamas said soldiers aimed artillery fire at gunmen who had shot mortars toward Israel, in southern Gaza, before dawn. Medics said both were taken to hospital where they were listed in critical condition.
An Israel military spokeswoman confirmed Palestinians had fired mortars from Gaza but not that soldiers had opened fire in return.
"We don't know of any artillery or tank fire" by soldiers in the area, the spokeswoman said.
Hamas's armed wing claimed responsibility yesterday for a series of rocket attacks against Israel, that killed a 36-year-old Israeli driver in Sderot, and another that slammed into a home injuring one person.