Israeli tanks move into Hebron

Sharon says Israeli troops won't reoccupy Gaza

Smoke rises from a house in Hebron, West Bank, on Tuesday. Israeli forces blew up the house, saying it belonged to a wanted Palestinian gunman.

HEBRON, West Bank (CNN) -- Israeli troops seized control of a seventh West Bank city Tuesday, sweeping into Hebron overnight, surrounding the governor's compound, arresting the head of Palestinian intelligence and fighting gunbattles with Palestinian forces that left four Palestinian policemen dead.

The Israeli move into Hebron came just hours after President Bush unveiled his plan to end the violence in the region, calling for an Israeli pullback and new Palestinian leadership leading to an independent Palestinian state. (Full story)

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat said Tuesday he didn't think Bush had called for his ouster, and said "the Palestinians will choose their own leaders." (Reaction to speech)

In Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon -- clearly happy with the Bush address -- appeared to soften his tone, telling a Knesset committee that Israeli forces will not stage a large-scale invasion of Gaza.

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"Whoever thinks that Gaza needs to be recaptured understands nothing," Sharon told the Knesset Committee for Foreign Affairs and Security. "We do not need to be inside Gaza."

Sharon had said Monday that Israel was "preparing to launch a massive operation in the Gaza Strip against the Hamas organization."

Tuesday, he said if there is a center of Hamas operations in Gaza, "Israel will make every effort to strike a hard blow to such a center," but that move would not require reoccupying Gaza.

The Palestine Red Crescent Society said four Palestinians died at Hebron and four were injured. The Palestinian security chief in the Hebron area, Nizam Jaabri, turned himself in to Israeli soldiers. A Hamas activist was also arrested, Israel Radio reported.

The IDF said its forces in Hebron have seized weapons, uncovered an explosives lab with explosive belts ready for use, and arrested a large number of Palestinians.

Palestinian security sources said more than 60 armored vehicles entered Hebron, with about half of those surrounding the governor's compound, which is Palestinian Authority leader Yasser Arafat's headquarters when he is in Hebron.

The policemen died when gunfire broke out as the compound was surrounded, the sources said. About 100 Palestinian policemen who were inside the compound were being taken away by bus, the security sources said.

Israeli troops now control Ramallah, Nablus, Jenin, Qalqilya, Tulkarem and Bethlehem in addition to Hebron.

In a separate incident, Israeli troops shot and killed a Palestinian who was attacking an Israeli post with grenades near the Karni Crossing at the Gaza-Israel border fence, the Israeli military said.

The past week has seen 31 Israelis killed in three terror attacks, including the two suicide bombings and a shooting attack in an Israeli settlement in the West Bank.

In a statement to news agencies, the Izzedine Al-Qassam Brigades -- the military wing of Hamas -- threatened to step up suicide attacks in response to Monday's Israeli strike that killed a senior Hamas activist, and to the house arrest of Hamas' spiritual leader.

"We emphasize our right to continue the jihad and resistance and to intensify the martyrdom operations as a reaction to the policy of the occupation and the [Palestinian] Authority," the statement said.