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Israeli Fighters Target Palestinian Police Posts After Netanya Bombing

Aired May 18, 2001 - 14:20   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
NATALIE ALLEN, CNN ANCHOR: In the Middle East today, just hours after a suicide bomber killed seven Israelis, Israeli officials ordered a retaliatory strike on Palestinian positions. Israeli F-16 jet fighters bombed two sites in the West Bank today, including a Palestinian police station. Eight Palestinians were killed in the air strike. Israeli officials ordered the air strike after a suicide bomber triggered a bomb outside a popular mall in Netanya, Israel this morning, killing seven people,

The Palestinian man exploded the bomb after Israeli police turned him away from the mall. Nearly 100 more people were wounded in that attack.

And as we have reported in the past hour, the violence continues there into the evening there in the Middle East, and CNN's Mike Hanna now joins us with the latest and what's going on now -- Mike.

MIKE HANNA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Natalie, there have been ongoing Israeli strike at a number of Palestinian targets in the West Bank as well as in the Gaza Strip. Fighter aircraft have been deployed against a number of these targets as well as sorter helicopters, and it is reported at one stage, shelling from a naval vessel. So widespread strikes by Israel. This is said, in retaliation, for the suicide bombing earlier on in the day Israeli city that has killed six people, including the suicide bomber who carried out the attack.

So far, the death total in the Israeli action against the Palestinian targets: Nine people have been killed in the West Bank town of Nablus. They were in a police station and prison that was hit by Israeli fighter aircraft. One Palestinian reported to have been killed in the West Bank city of Nablus. There have also been Israeli attacks on the town of Tulkarm, in the West Bank. Tulkarm, the home town of the man that Hamas says carried out the suicide bombing in Netanya earlier on the -- in the day.

So, as many as 16 people, Israeli and Palestinians have been killed in the course of this day. The most serious session of violence yet in the past eight months which have seen many incidents of violent confrontation, Natalie.

ALLEN: All right, Mike Hanna, there live from Jerusalem tonight. Thanks. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com