Israeli soldier killed by Gaza rocket

JERUSALEM (AP) -- The Israeli military says a soldier has been killed in a rocket attack on southern Israel.

In a statement, the army said the 18-year-old serviceman was killed Tuesday afternoon.

It was the military's first fatality since it launched an offensive in the Gaza Strip last Wednesday. The operation is meant to halt rocket fire out of Gaza.

The operation has killed 129 Palestinians, including dozens of civilians. Three Israeli civilians were killed by rocket fire last week.