An Israeli airstrike killed the commander of the military wing of Gaza's Hamas rulers on Nov. 14, 2012, Hamas officials and Israel confirmed.

Ahmed Jabari was the most senior Hamas official to be killed since an Israeli invasion of Gaza four years ago. Israel said the assassination marked the beginning of an offensive. It was followed by a string of airstrikes around Gaza. Palestinians called for punishing retaliation.

Rocket attacks into Gaza and Israel continued on Nov. 15, including two missiles launched by Hamas and Islamic Jihad against Tel Aviv. Those missiles marked the first time Israel's commercial capital has come under such attack since the 1991 Gulf War. -AP