Israel said today all Palestinian militant leaders were in its sights a day after it assassinated Hamas head Sheikh Ahmed Yassin in a missile strike.
Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin.
"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," Internal Security Minister Tsahi Hanegbi told reporters. "Everyone is in our sights.
"There is no immunity to anyone. And that means anyone to the last person," he said.
Mr Hanegbi did not give any names but said the list of militant leaders marked for death included "those who appear on television", a veiled reference to senior Hamas officials Abdel-Aziz al-Rantissi and Mahmoud al-Zahar.
Rantissi and Zahar, both English speakers, frequently give interviews on Arab and foreign television networks.
Yassin, the 67-year-old wheelchair-bound spiritual leader of Hamas, was killed when helicopter gunships fired missiles at him and aides as they left a Gaza mosque after dawn prayers.
Israeli officials said the assassination was the opening shot in a war against Islamic militants, who are sworn to its destruction and have carried out a suicide bombing campaign in which hundreds of Israelis have been killed.
Hamas members have vowed "to bring death to every Israeli house" to avenge Yassin's death.