Islamic Jihad commander killed

? Islamic Jihad’s top military commander in Gaza died Wednesday when his car exploded. The militant group blamed an Israeli missile, but Israel denied involvement.

The militants pledged revenge for the death of 45-year-old Khaled Dahdouh.

Violence also hit the West Bank, where one Israeli was killed and another seriously wounded in shooting attacks claimed by an offshoot of Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah movement.

The deadly explosion in Gaza City and attacks on Israelis came as another militant group, Hamas, prepared to take over the Palestinian Cabinet after sweeping parliamentary elections.

Dahdouh, Islamic Jihad’s chief rocketmaker, helped orchestrate daily barrages on Israel. The homemade rockets have increased their range in recent weeks, reaching an industrial area near the Israeli city of Ashkelon, five miles north of Gaza.

Dahdouh was a frequent target of Israeli forces – Islamic Jihad said he survived nine assassination attempts. The Israeli military said it did not set off the explosion that incinerated Dahdouh’s car, killing him and wounding two bystanders.

Palestinians gather around the burning car of the top commander of Islamic Jihad's military wing in the Gaza Strip, Khaled Dahdouh, on Wednesday after he was killed when the vehicle exploded in Gaza City.

Palestinian police, witnesses and Islamic Jihad gave conflicting accounts of the explosion.

The Palestinian Interior Ministry said no missile parts were found in the car, but said Israeli drones were in the sky when the blast went off.

A witness, Ahmed Abdel Khalouk, said he was sitting about 300 feet from Dahdouh’s car, which he said was parked at a speed bump, when he saw a man walk over to it and open the driver’s door.

“There was a huge ball of fire, and debris from the car covered the entire area,” he said. “I think the car was booby-trapped.”

However, Islamic Jihad said Israel killed Dahdouh in a missile attack and vowed retaliation.

The blast shook a busy street in a residential area between Islamic University and the Finance Ministry compound. It knocked out electricity and damaged several parked cars.

Islamic Jihad has ignored an informal truce with Israel, carrying out all six suicide bombings in Israel since February 2005. Israel has been targeting the group’s leaders in Gaza airstrikes. The last one was in early February.