Suicide bombers kill 16 in bus attacks

PALESTINIAN suicide bombers on a revenge mission blew up two buses seconds apart in southern Israel yesterday, killing at least 16 passengers and wounding more than 80.

It was the first suicide bombings inside Israel for nearly six months and was claimed by militant group Hamas as vengeance for the assassination of their spiritual leader.

The explosions ended a period of relative calm that Israel has attributed to its crackdown on Palestinian militants and continued construction of its separation barrier in the West Bank.