Israel has killed more than 150 militants in targeted raids since fighting broke out in September 2000, according to Palestinian medical officials, though that total includes militants killed resisting arrest. Israel also has had a long history of assassinating those it considered to be terrorists before then.

Here are some of the most prominent and recent strikes:

• February 1973: Israeli commandos enter Beirut by sea and kill three senior PLO leaders. One of the commandos was Ehud Barak, later Israel's prime minister.

• January 1979: Israeli agents killed Ali Hassan Salameh in bomb explosion in Beirut. Salameh planned the 1972 attack in Munich that killed 11 members of Israeli Olympic team.

• April 1988: Israeli agents assassinated Khalid al-Wazir (Abu Jihad), Yasser Arafat's deputy in the PLO and commander of operations in West Bank.

• February 1992: Lebanese Hezbollah leader Sheik Abbas Musawi was killed in southern Lebanon in Israeli helicopter strike.

• October 1995: Islamic Jihad leader Fathi Shakaki was killed by gunmen in Malta. Israel was assumed to be responsible but does not comment officially.

• January 1996: Hamas master bombmaker Yehiyeh Ayyash was killed in explosion of booby-trapped cell phone in Gaza. Israel was assumed responsible.

• September 1997: Two Israeli Mossad agents were arrested in Jordan after botched effort to assassinate Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal.

• January 2002: Raed Karmi, leader of Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades in the West Bank, was killed in Israeli attack.

• July 2002: Hamas commander Salah Shehadeh was killed with 14 others when Israeli plane drops one-ton bomb on his Gaza house.

• September 2002: Hamas commander Mohammed Deif was wounded in Israeli airstrike.

• March 2003: Ibrahim Makadmeh, senior Hamas strategist, was killed in Israeli airstrike in Gaza.

• June 2003: Hamas leader Abdel Aziz Rantisi was wounded in Israeli airstrike in Gaza.

• Aug. 21, 2003: Three Hamas members, including prominent leader Ismail Abu Shanab and two bodyguards, were killed by helicopter missile strike. One bystander was killed, at least 15 others wounded.

• Aug. 24, 2003: Four Palestinians, all Hamas activists, were killed in helicopter strike in Gaza City. More than a dozen bystanders were injured.

• Aug. 26, 2003: Two Palestinian bystanders were killed in helicopter strike in Gaza City. Another bystander died the following week.

• Aug. 28, 2003: One Hamas activist was killed by missile strike in southern Gaza. Three others were injured.