At least 12 people have been killed in what Israeli forces said were air attacks on members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement (PIJ).

    The PIJ has announced that three of its leaders — Jihad al-Ghannam, Khalil al-Bahtini, and Tariq Izz al-Deen — were killed in the Israeli attacks along with their wives and some children.

   Israel’s military has advised Israeli residents of communities within 40km (25 miles) of Gaza to stay close to designated bomb shelters.

    Last week, Israeli missiles pounded the Gaza Strip following rockets fired towards Israel in the aftermath of the death of well-known Palestinian hunger striker Khader Adnan.