GAZA, July 24 (UPI) -- Despite increased fighting with Hezbollah, violence did not subside on Israel's southern front, with Gaza, where bombardments killed three and injured 10.
The violence flare up Monday on both fronts coincided with the arrival of U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in the Middle East to help find a political solution to end Israel's raging confrontations with Lebanon and the Palestinians.
Rice, who made an unscheduled brief stop in Beirut for talks with Prime Minister Fuoad Siniora and Speaker Nabih Berri, is expected to fly later Monday to Israel and the Palestinian territories for meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Palestinian security sources said heavy gun shells hit a residential tower near Beit Lahya in the north of Gaza Strip, inflicting several casualties among its residents. Initial counts indicated that three had been killed and 10 injured.
The sources said the area has been the target of intensive bombardments since dawn in apparent retaliation to rockets fired at Israel by Palestinian militants.
Islamic Jihad's military arm, al-Quds Brigades, earlier declared that they fired several locally-made rockets at the city of Majdel, in south Israel.
The Israeli army confirmed the rocket attack, saying one of the missiles landed near a strategic position; there was no information about the nature of the position.
Fatah's al-Aqsa Brigades also claimed rocket attacks on the city of Sederot, which they said were in support of Hezbollah's resistance war against Israel.
