Israeli air strike kills 2 Palestinians in Gaza StripJune 19, 2012 - 17:47 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - An Israeli air strike killed two Palestinians in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, June 19 near the border with Israel and the enclave's ruling Hamas movement fired rockets across the frontier for the first time in more than a year, Reuters said. Palestinian medical officials said the two men were civilians. The Israeli military said aircraft "targeted a terrorist squad identified handling an explosive device" in the central Gaza Strip near Israel's border fence. The Islamist Hamas group said its Izz el-Deen al-Qassam brigades fired four rockets into Israel in response. No casualties were reported. Although other militant groups have launched rockets across the border in previous surges of violence, Hamas had held its fire under unofficial truces with Israel. On Monday, Israeli air strikes killed four Palestinian militants in the enclave, attacks which Fawzi Barhoum, a Hamas spokesman, said moved the group's military wing "to take a firm stance" and launch rockets. Hours before the aircraft went into action on Monday, militants who crossed into Israel from Egypt's Sinai desert fired on Israelis building a barrier on that frontier, killing one worker, before soldiers shot dead two of the attackers. The Sinai attack, launched soon after the Muslim Brotherhood declared victory in Egypt's presidential election, raised Israeli concerns about lawlessness in the area since the fall of president Hosni Mubarak last year. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Czech-Armenian military cooperation discussed in Yerevan A delegation led by the Director General for the Industrial Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic visited Armenia. U.S. welcomes efforts to define Armenia-Azerbaijan border The United States welcomes efforts to define the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, says Vedant Patel. Biden honors resilience of Armenian people on April 24 U.S. President Joe Biden has issued a statement on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. |