Israel and Gaza militants exchange fire after deadly strikes

Rockets fired by Palestinian militants towards Israel, in Gaza City (Fatima Shbair/AP)

Israeli jets have pounded militant targets in Gaza as rockets rained on southern Israel, hours after a wave of Israeli air strikes on the coastal enclave killed at least 11 people, including a senior militant and a five-year-old girl.

The fighting that began on Friday with Israel’s dramatic targeted killing of a senior commander of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group continued throughout the night, drawing the sides closer to an all-out war.