still more mid-East chaos

Israeli air strikes on Gaza continue for second day, Hamas calls for ‘third intifada.’

In response to increased rocket attacks from a number of Palestinian groups, Israel launched a second wave of air strikes late Saturday and early Sunday morning. The weekend’s estimated death toll increased to 280. Last week, Hamas declared an end to a rocky six-month-old ceasefire agreement. The IDF is reportedly “sending tanks and infantry reinforcements southward in preparation for possible ground incursion.” After the first wave of air strikes yesterday, Hamas launched a new series of rocket attacks, while Khaled Meshal, Hamas’s political leader, said during an interview, "This is the time for a third Intifada.” The White House called Hamas ‘thugs,’ saying, “Israel is going to defend its people against terrorists like Hamas that indiscriminately kill their own people.”

(Think Progress)