Israel has defended its policy of pre-emptive strikes after US President George W. Bush rebuked the country over two deadly missile attacks. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's spokesman told the BBC that Israel would not hesitate to act "if the Palestinian Authority fails to take action against ticking bombs". Sharon has ordered his aides to turn over intelligence to US officials which would back up accusations that the militant Abdel-Aziz al-Rantissi, whom Israel targeted in a missile strike on Tuesday, had been planning attacks. Israeli helicopters fired missiles at a car carrying Rantissi, one of the most senior leaders of the militant group Hamas, on Tuesday. He escaped with light injuries, but two people died. Later in the day three people died in a second missile strike. In another development connected with the peace process, Israel's High Court ordered the army not to evacuate a number of settler outposts until it considered a legal challenge on Wednesday.

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