Israeli Air Force F-16 jets fired missiles at the Palestinian Authority's headquarters and at additional targets in the West Bank town of Nablus in response to Wednesday night's infiltration terror attack in the Jordan Valley community of Hamra, in which three Israelis were killed. Palestinian sources reported that 11 people, mostly security officials, were injured in the air strikes.

The incident at Moshav Hamra, an agricultural community in the northern Jordan Valley, began shortly after 8 p.m. when warnings were issued of a terrorist cell operating in the area. Hamra residents were asked to stay in their homes and security forces went on alert, launching patrols around the community.

Yitzhak Orenstein, Hamra's deputy security officer, was patrolling in a vehicle near the western gate, facing the community's greenhouses. Orenstein said the terrorist "started shooting at me, and it was heavy gunfire. The terrorist started running towards us, and I told the soldier sitting next to me to jump. I jumped out and was able, somehow, to find cover behind a nearby block wall."

The reserve soldier, First Sgt. Moshe Mekonan, 33, was killed by the terrorist gunfire. The terrorist, who was reportedly wearing an IDF uniform and who was armed with an M-16 rifle with at least seven magazines, managed to escape and ran off in the direction of the community's houses.

The terrorist first tried to take refuge in the home of Orenstein's daughter, the security officer told Army Radio. An eyewitness said that a gas container near one of the houses was hit by bullets and exploded, and the people inside were rescued under fire. When Hamra residents and soldiers began firing on him, the terrorist entered the home of the Ohana family. Yael Ohana, 11, was just getting out of the shower and began shouting; the terrorist shot and killed her. Miri Ohana, 50, apparently came to see what the commotion was, and she was mortally wounded as well. Her husband was not at home at the time of the attack.

IDF soldiers from the armored corps and a Golani infantry unit surrounded the house, and exchanged gunfire with the barricaded terrorist. Two soldiers, members of the Nahal's ultra-Orthodox Haredi unit, were lightly injured in the battle, which reportedly continued until the terrorist ran out of ammunition.

Eyewitnesses: "It was like the worst American movie"
The scene "was like the worst American movies," an eyewitness told ynet. "The soldiers came up to the house under fire, with their backs to the wall… Through the window they saw the injured girl crawling on the floor, and the woman. The terrorist fired the entire time. Then the order was given and they stormed into the house. Inside they found the mother and the girl, both mortally wounded."

The terrorist was reportedly armed with an explosive belt. Earlier reports indicating a second terrorist could not be verified. Though the high alert was lifted late at night, security forces continued to search the area around Hamra Thursday morning and residents were asked to remain in their homes.

The IDF launched an investigation into the Hamra attack, in an attempt to answer why the terrorist wasn't killed when he first penetrated into the community. Residents of Hamra told Yediot Aharonot that they had no complaints about the IDF's actions.

Fatah's Al-Aqsa Brigade claims credit for attack
The Al-Aqsa Brigade of Arafat's Fatah faction took credit for the Hamra infiltration in a published leaflet. Earlier, the Hizbullah's Al-Manar television station in Lebanon reported that the man killed was a member of Izzadin al-Kassam, the military wing of Hamas.

Palestinian security officials said they released several prisoners being held at the Nablus compound, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists wanted by Israel, just prior to the IAF air strike. In addition, armed, masked men broke into the Jenin prison and freed the prisoners being held there. Seven Hamas militants and an Islamic Jihad terrorist were set free while their guards reportedly offered no resistance. Media reports indicated that one of the prisoners set free was Mohammed Twalaba, one of the leading Islamic Jihad military commanders.

The Israeli air strikes at the PA facilities came after a senior official accompanying Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on his flight to the United States stated that "[PA Chairman Yasser] Arafat is responsible for every attack that originates in his territory." The official promised that Israel would launch a serious response to the Hamra terrorist attack. Sharon was updated on developments at Hamra via satellite phone during the course of his flight.

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