AL KHALIL (West Bank) Oct 31: Israel assassinated two members of the Islamic group Hamas on Wednesday, including a top commander it said helped plan five deadly suicide attacks, and killed four other Palestinians.

Israeli army tanks and troops, meanwhile, smashed further into Palestinian self-rule areas of the West Bank as they continued a campaign to hunt down militants following the assassination of a cabinet minister.

An Israeli helicopter gunship fired a missile and killed Jamil Jadallah, a 30-year-old commander of Hamas, in a house in the Alzawya district of Al Khalil.

The Israeli army said Jadallah was a senior member of Hamas’ armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, and had helped launch the deadliest suicide attacks of the Palestinian uprising, including the Dolphinarium nightclub in Tel Aviv, the Sharon Mall in Netanya and the Sbarro restaurant in Al Quds.—AFP