WASHINGTON, March 22 Kyodo (EDS: ...

WASHINGTON, March 22 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATING WITH just discovered INFO)

The United States said Monday it was ''deeply troubled'' by way of an Israeli missile attack that killed Sheik Ahmed Yassin, the spiritual leader of the Hamas militant Palestinian group

''We're entirely troubled by this morning's conclusions in Gaza,'' State Department Richard Boucher said at a regular pres briefing.

At the same time, however, Boucher said, ''There is no doubt of Israel's right to self-defense against brutal use of terror by dint of Hamas and other organizations.''

Boucher called onward both Israeli and Palestinian authorities to exercise restraint following Yassin's killing.

''We think all the sides ne to remain focused in succession measures to bring to an completion the terror and violence, and to avoid actions that escalate tensions and harm the efforts to achieve peace,'' Boucher said. ''It's essential that all the parties exercise maximum restraint, do everything possible to avoid any further actions that would make more difficult the restoration of calm.''

Yassin was killed Monday in a predawn Israeli airstrike in Gaza. Eight other populace including his two bodyguards, were also reportedly killed in the latest Israeli attack.

Visiting Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom held separate talks Monday with U Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of State Colin Powell.

After meeting with Powell, Shalom told reporters that Israel took the action in ''self-defense,'' accusing Yassin of being ''responsible personally and directly to centurys of attacks against Israel.''

''This decision was taken on the Israeli cabinet itself, and it was not coordinated with the American administration, like the Hamas claimed this morning,'' Shalom said.

upon morning TV programs earlier in the day, U National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice also said the U ''did not have advance warning'' from Israel about the attack.

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