The sharp escalation in violence in the Gaza border region is covered by the Financial Times, Independent i, Telegraph and the Guardian. Over seventy rockets were fired by armed Palestinians from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel yesterday, injuring eight Israeli civilians. Israel launched targeted air strikes in response, which reportedly resulted in the deaths of six Palestinians. All reports note that Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned yesterday, that the continued rocket fire would be met with a “heavy price,” with some speculating that an Israeli ground operation remains an option.

Meanwhile, the Telegraph, Times, Independent, Financial Times and Independent i all report that Israel yesterday fired warning shots into Syria in response to an apparently stray mortar round from the fighting in Syria, which hit an Israeli military post. The errant Syrian round follows several similar incidents of wayward Syrian fire that landed in Israeli territory over the last week. However, Israel’s response was the first time shots had been fired into Syria since 1973. Israeli army spokespeople are quoted stressing that the Israeli fire was purely a warning. The Daily Mail, Daily Mirror and Daily Star also report the incident within articles covering comments by the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Sir David Richards, who said yesterday that contingency plans are in place for UK troops to intervene in Syria to provide a “very limited” response to the worsening humanitarian situation there. Reports also quote Defence Secretary Philip Hammond who said yesterday that Britain had not ruled out military intervention in Syria, but was focusing on diplomatic efforts. The Telegraph online devotes a full article to this story.  The online editions of the Guardian, Financial Times and Telegraph report that a deal has finally been struck in Qatar to re-structure the Syrian opposition to form a new body slated to coordinate military action and to eventually form a transitional government in areas where President Assad is potentially no longer in control.

The Financial Times publishes comments by Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, in which he supports the idea of direct US-Iran talks over Tehran’s nuclear programme. The Telegraph includes a small report on an Israeli foundation that offers financial support to Holocaust survivors in the country that has been forced to suspend subsidies due to insufficient government funding. The Independent covers the multi-million pound renovation of an historic cinema in Jaffa, which has re-opened as the first public Middle East centre of the Church of Scientology. The Financial Times includes an interview with Dan Shechtman, Nobel Prize winner and professor at the Technion (Israel’s Institute of Technology), on his role in the development of Israeli start-ups.

The Israeli media this morning focuses on the violence in southern Israel and on the Syrian border. There is particular speculation over Israel’s possible response. Makor Rishon reports on comments made by Defence Minister Barak, warning that Israel will enter Gaza again if necessary. Maariv asks whether the events of the past couple of days are an escalation or a passing episode. Writing in Yediot Ahronot, military affairs correspondent Alex Fishman suggests a limited military operation targeting the Hamas military command in Gaza with a view to a long-term ceasefire. Haaretz claims that Israel’s leaders are considering the targeted killings of Hamas leaders responsible for the rocket attacks on southern Israel from the Gaza Strip. In Israel Hayom, Yoav Limor opines that if the current situation continues in the south, “sooner or later, today or in a few weeks, Israel will have to decide in the dilemma between restraint and a large-scale operation.” Limor also predicts a gradual escalation on the northern border with Syria. In other news, Israel Radio News reports on the election by Meretz of its electoral list in advance of January’s general election. Two current MKs are placed in second and third place behind party leader Zehava Galon, while Arab representative Issawi Freij and Tel Aviv councilwoman Tamar Zandberg also feature prominently.