Israeli military chiefs in shouting match over civilian killings in Gaza

Row between top generals reflects months of simmering tension over air strikes that have been 'taken to the extreme'

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Israeli military chiefs descended into a shouting match over the civilian death toll from air strikes in Gaza, according to reports. The row between the air force chief and the head of ground troops in southern Israel came as Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister, prepared to order the full occupation of the Strip. The policy is expected to be formally approved at a meeting of Israel's security cabinet on Thursday.Maj Gen Yaniv Asor, head of the army's southern command, reportedly complained to Maj Gen Tomer Bar that the air force was routinely overruling bombing requests by his officers in Gaza. In response Maj Gen Bar, the Israeli air force chief, said that many of the strikes were unnecessarily killing civilians and showed a "lack of professionalism", sources claim.