TEL AVIV, Israel, Sept. 27 (UPI) -- Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz Tuesday vowed to escalate war on militant Palestinians, especially Hamas and Islamic Jihad, by targeting their leaders.
Mofaz was quoted by Radio Israel as saying the leaders of the Palestinian groups "will not be able to sleep calmly as we will strike them with force."
Israeli forces have been attacking locations where weapons, including rockets fired into Israel proper, are believed to be manufactured. They have also carried out targeted attacks on leaders of militant groups.
"Israel will not allow the firing of rockets by the Palestinians and the Israeli guns positioned facing Gaza are not for decoration but will retaliate to rocket attacks immediately," Mofaz said during a tour of Israeli positions on the border with Gaza Strip.
He stressed that there will be "new rules of the game" following Israel's withdrawal from the area.
Earlier Tuesday, Mofaz told the Israeli army Radio that "Israel will continue the policy of assassinating the leaders of Hamas and Islamic Jihad."
"We will strike them and strike and strike until they are aware that as a sovereign state we will not allow that rockets be fired against Israel," Mofaz added.
