Israel strikes on Islamic Jihad chiefs prompt reprisal rocket attacks

Assassination attempts target political leader in Syria and kill commander in Gaza

Israel has launched airstrikes in Gaza and Syria against two senior figures from the militant group Islamic Jihad in rare targeted assassination attempts that immediately prompted retaliatory rocket fire from Gaza.

Baha Abu al-Ata, a 42-year-old Palestinian Islamic Jihad commander, and his wife were killed in their home in Gaza City, the Iran-backed group said in a statement. Two other people, believed to be their children, were wounded.