Israel is threatening to launch a new all-out offensive on the Gaza Strip after bombing several areas on Thursday. At least three Palestinian children were wounded in the Israeli strikes. Israel called the attacks a response to Palestinian rocket fire. One Palestinian rocket was fired into Israel earlier in the day, causing no injuries. Critics have warned Israel could be trying to provoke a Palestinian reaction to in turn justify a new assault on Gaza to divert attention from growing US opposition to Israeli settlement expansion on the West Bank. Earlier this week, Israel killed a Palestinian teenager and wounded several others as they took part in a nonviolent demonstration to protest discriminatory land policies. Four Palestinian teenagers were also killed in other Israeli attacks last month. Earlier today, Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Silvan Shalom warned Israel could launch “another military operation… in the near future.”