The United States said in a statement last night it feared for the stability of the Middle East after Israel killed a top Hamas leader in a missile strike.
"The United States is gravely concerned for regional peace and stability," said the statement, issued under the name of White House press secretary Mr Scott McClellan.
Meawhile the Hamas militant group today vowed "100 retaliations" to avenge Israel's killing of top leader Abdel-Aziz al-Rantissi in a missile strike.
"We declare the status of alert and public readiness within all our fighting cells...until the 100 retaliations, which will shake the criminal entity, are done," its military wing Izz al-Deen al-Qassam said in a statement.
