Iran Says Israeli Assault on Gaza 'Organized Terrorism'

Iran's foreign ministry on Thursday condemned as "organized terrorism" a vast Israeli operation launched in the Gaza Strip.

Iran "strongly condemns the criminal act of Zionist (Israeli) military forces in killing civilians," ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said in remarks published on the website of state broadcaster IRIB.

Mehmanparast said the offensive amounted to "organized terrorism" in the face of what he called "silence of international organizations."

"Unfortunately the massacre of innocent and defenseless Palestinians has become a routine procedure adopted by the Zionist regime," he said.

Israel on Wednesday launched its harshest Gaza operation in four years by killing the Hamas military chief, Ahmed Jaabari, in a surgical air strike on a car traveling in Gaza City.

Following Jaabari's killing, Israel has pounded Gaza with more than 100 air strikes, killing 14 and injuring at least 115, in raids which were continuing on Thursday, medics and Hamas officials said.

Rocket fire from the Gaza Strip into Israel on Thursday killed three Israelis, police said.