US warns Israel of escalation

[Wordie]

US warns Israel of escalation
Martin Chulov, Middle East correspondent
December 30, 2005

THE US has warned Israel it risks a serious escalation in a continuing artillery showdown with Palestinian militants by establishing a no-go zone in the northern Gaza Strip.

The buffer zone came into effect yesterday after a week of rocket barrages fired towards southern Israel from sections of Gaza that were handed back to the Palestinians after the Israeli military pullout in August.

Israeli tanks and artillery batteries fired at least 30 shells into Gaza yesterday in the biggest military operation it has mounted since the withdrawal.

Operation Blue Skies was targeting militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad, who routinely fire improvised rockets, known as Qassams.

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