Israel Promises More Hamas Strikes

Israel will continue striking at Hamas leaders, Israel's defense minister said Tuesday, a day after the founder of the Islamic militant group, Sheik Ahmed Yassin, was assassinated in a missile attack.

Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz and his security chiefs decided to try to kill the entire Hamas leadership, without waiting for another terror attack, security sources said Tuesday.

The killing of Yassin threatens to escalate Israel-Palestinian fighting. Fearing revenge, Israel beefed up security throughout the country and at missions abroad.

Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians thronged the streets of Gaza City for Yassin's funeral procession Monday, and Hamas threatened punishing revenge attacks against Israel. It also hinted that the United States could become a target for backing Israel.

Hamas, founded by Yassin in 1987, wants to destroy Israel and replace it with an Islamic state. Mofaz said Monday that Hamas killed 377 Israelis and wounded more than 2,000 in hundreds of attacks.

Mofaz said Tuesday that other Hamas leaders would be targeted. "If we will continue, in a determined way, with our strikes against Hamas and other terror groups, with the means I outlined, including action against those leaders, we will bring more security to Israeli citizens," he said.

Asked if Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat is on the list of terror leaders, Mofaz smiled and answered, "You should ask him."

"Anyone who is involved in the Gaza Strip or the West Bank or anywhere else in leading a terror group knows from yesterday there is no immunity," Public Security Minister Tzachi Hanegbi told reporters. "Everyone is in our sights. There is no immunity to anyone."

Israel's army chief also suggested that Arafat and the chief of the Lebanese guerrilla group Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, would eventually be assassinated by Israel.

"I think that their responses yesterday show that they understand that it is nearing them," Moshe Yaalon said when asked if the two men were in Israel's crosshairs.

Arafat's aides say the Palestinian leader is concerned about being targeted. It was not clear what response by Nasrallah the army chief was referring to.

Mofaz and Israeli security chiefs met for five hours late Monday and decided to step up targeted attacks, the security sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity. They said officials decided to go after the entire Hamas leadership without waiting for another attack by the militant group.

A decision on targeting top Hamas officials was first made last week by Israel's Cabinet, in response to a double suicide bombing at an Israeli seaport.

Israeli security experts are closely watching to see who fills the political vacuum caused by Yassin's death. At least initially, hardliner Abdel Aziz Rantisi, has emerged as a Hamas strongman. Rantisi, a 54-year-old pediatrician who escaped an Israeli assassination attempt last June, opposes even a temporary truce with Israel.

Ismail Hanieh, a top Yassin aide, said Hamas took a blow to morale, but would continue carrying out attacks on Israel. "Sheik Yassin's death is not going to harm or affect the movement. It's going to give us encouragement to go ahead with our program to achieve our goal," Hanieh said.

In the meantime, Israel has increased security both at home and abroad. Jerusalem's usually lively streets were mostly empty Monday night, due to fears of a Hamas attack. Buses remained empty on Tuesday.

Checkpoints were set up around major cities, and police were visible on city streets Tuesday. Tel Aviv police commander Yossi Sedbon told Army Radio on Tuesday that he expects the alert level to remain high for at least a month.

Analyst Michael Oren expects a new wave of Hamas terror in response to Yassin's assassination, and new tactics.

"They could strike at a school, they could strike at water sources, things they haven't tried in the past," he told CBS News Correspondent Robert Berger.

A closure preventing Palestinians from entering Israel from the West Bank and Gaza remained in effect, and the army increased forces throughout the Palestinian areas, officials said. Five Palestinians died in violence following Yassin's killing Monday; sporadic stone-throwing clashes in the West Bank were reported Tuesday.

Troops prepared for a variety of scenarios, including kidnappings and attacks on army bases and Jewish settlements in the West Bank and Gaza, the officials said. Security also was beefed up for military and political leaders.

Forces increased security along the northern border with Lebanon in fear of a Hezbollah attack. The Lebanese guerrilla group fired anti-tank missiles and artillery rounds at Israeli troops late Monday, drawing Israeli return fire. No casualties were reported.

Outside the country, Israel stepped up security at embassies, consulates and other official offices. Israeli officials also advised various Jewish centers around the world to take precautions. Israel fears that groups operating abroad, like Hezbollah or al Qaeda, might strike to show solidarity with Hamas, the officials said.

The assassination, which killed seven other people, received large support in Israel, despite the belief that it will spark more violence. The Yediot Ahronot daily published a poll showing 60 percent of Israelis that killing Yassin was the right thing to do, while 32 percent thought it was wrong.

A Maariv poll showed 61 percent of respondents said they supported the assassination and 21 percent said they were opposed.

"No one in the system, not even Sharon, believes that the assassination of the sheik will reduce the scope of terror. There is no strategy here: just bitter frustration and mounting difficulty to look the voters in the eye," wrote Yediot columnist Nahum Barnea.