JERUSALEM
An Israeli soldier was seriously injured Monday in a drive-by shooting in East Jerusalem.
"Israeli security forces are searching for the attacker," Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld told Anadolu Agency.
He said a gunman on a motorcycle had opened fire on the soldier near the Hebrew University in East Jerusalem.
A security helicopter was hovering over East Jerusalem and police sirens can be heard across the city, according to AA reporter.
The attack came shortly after Israeli forces gunned down a Palestinian driver who had attacked an Israeli bus with his truck in the city.
Tension has been running high in the holy city since Israel unleashed a deadly military offensive against the blockaded Gaza Strip nearly one month ago.
Israel has been pounding the blockaded strip – home to 1.8 million people – since July 7, leaving at least 1851 Palestinians dead and nearly 9500 others injured.
Gaza-based resistance factions, meanwhile, have continued to fire rockets at Israeli cities in response to the ongoing Israeli attacks.
At least 64 Israeli soldiers have also been killed in battles with Palestinian fighters and three civilians by rocket fire.
The offensive – codenamed "Operation Protective Edge," is the self-proclaimed Jewish state's third major offensive against the densely-populate Gaza Strip within the last six years.
By Turgut Alp Boyraz
www.aa.com.tr/en
