Four militants killed

Israel kept up its raids of militant strongholds yesterday, killing at least four militants in a series of air strikes and ground raids in Gaza, and arresting a leader of Islamic Jihad in the West Bank town of Jenin, Palestinian medics and militants said.

One of those killed, Omar al-Khatib, a commander of Islamic Jihad, had earlier survived an Israeli attack on Tuesday by jumping out of his car in Gaza City as an Israeli aircraft flew overhead. Its missile only damaged a building on that occasion.

The Israeli military confirmed the air strikes. In one, the target was a Hamas militant aiming a grenade launcher at forces on an incursion to halt rocket firings at the Jewish state. In the other, it said it killed three Islamic Jihad militants.

Militants fired a rocket at Israel during the raid, causing no injury, a military spokesman said. The Islamic Jihad group claimed responsibility for the rocket fire.

A fifth Palestinian man was killed in the West Bank when an Israeli soldier struck him with a baton at a military checkpoint as he threatened the unit there with a knife, then scuffled with the troops, a military spokesman said.

Violence has been rare in the recent past at the more than 500 checkpoints and roadblocks Israel operates in the West Bank, which restrict Palestinian movement in the territory.

Israel says the measure is necessary to prevent suicide bombers from reaching its cities.