Israeli prime minister pledges more air strikes after rocket attack: 'No one is immune'

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Sunday promised more attacks on the Hamas militant group after a Palestinian rocket attack killed an Israeli man in southern Israel. "No one is immune," Olmert declared.

Olmert's comments, coupled with the latest bloodshed, signaled there was no end in sight for the latest round of fighting between Israel and Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip. A 10-day campaign of Israeli airstrikes aimed at halting rocket attacks has killed 49 Palestinians, most of them militants. But the rocket fire has continued.

Another rocket slammed into the southern Israeli town of Sderot early Sunday, critically wounding a 36-year-old man with shrapnel, medical officials said. The man later died of his wounds, hospital officials said. It was the second fatal rocket attack in less than a week.

Olmert told the weekly meeting of his Cabinet Sunday that he had instructed the army to do whatever it takes to halt the rocket fire.

"There will be no limit in acting against the terror groups and against those who are responsible for the terror. No one is immune," Olmert said. He said Israel would not be deterred by outside pressure, but acknowledged there was no quick solution for the crude "Qassam" rockets, which have baffled Israel's high-tech army for years.

"These launchings are liable to continue, people are liable to continue to be exposed," Olmert said.

Israel has so far avoided attacks on Hamas' political leaders _ a tactic it used at the height of Israeli-Palestinian fighting earlier this decade. It was not immediately clear whether Olmert's comments Sunday were aimed at the Hamas leadership. The group is now the senior partner in the Palestinian coalition government.

Olmert's spokeswoman Miri Eisin said Israel would strike not only against those involved in the rocket attacks, but also against anyone who smuggles weapons or money used for attacking Israel.

"If somebody in the hierarchy is involved in terrorism, they should not feel safe," she said.

The Israeli airstrikes appear to have hit Hamas hard _ knocking out key Hamas bases, killing several top militants and forcing the movement's leadership underground.

Israeli missiles also have hit close to the homes of Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh and Hamas lawmaker Khalil al-Haya, though the army has said the men were not targets.

Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman, warned Israel against targeting the movement's leaders. "Whoever thinks that harming the Hamas leadership can dissipate the movement is a fool," he said. "Hamas is a group based on institutions, not individuals."

Hamas has rejected calls for a truce with Israel and promised more attacks.

It also warned that the Israeli air assault would jeopardize the release of Cpl. Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier nabbed last June by Hamas-linked militants. Shalit has not been heard from or seen since his capture.

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AP reporter Sarah El Deeb in Gaza City contributed to this article.