Israel is escalating the military assault on the Gaza Strip launched following the recent capture of an Israeli soldier. Earlier tonight, the Palestinian Interior Ministry became the latest target of nightly attacks on Gaza City. The strike set the Ministry building on fire and caused damage to neighboring apartments. Several people, including four children, were wounded in the attack. Another overnight Israeli strike targeted an empty school in Northern Gaza. Meanwhile, militants from the armed wing of Hamas took responsibility for a rocket attack that hit a deserted schoolyard in the Israeli town of Ashkelon. It was the deepest rocket attack inside Israel to date. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert called the rocket firing a “major escalation” and ordered troops to move into Palestinian residential areas. Israel says it will create a “security zone” to thwart rocket-firing militants. Referring to two northern towns in Gaza, senior Israeli cabinet minister Zeev Boim said: “As far as I’m concerned, the people of Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya can start packing.”