Israeli Airstrike Hits Gaza

Wednesday December 08, 2010 18:46 by Alessandra Bajec - IMEMC & Agencies

The Israeli Air Force attacked the southern Gaza Strip in the early hours of Wednesday morning, leaving one person injured, local sources reported.

(photo from hurriyet)

Israeli warplanes launched two airstrikes in the overnight near the city of Khan Younis, in the south of Gaza. The first attack targeted a poultry farm in Khan Younis, leaving a young Palestinian man wounded and damaging the farm.

The second target of the Israeli aircraft, which came around 15 minutes later, was a tunnel beneath Gaza's border with Egypt, near Rafah. The tunnel was destroyed. No injuries were reported in that attack.

The Israeli army commented that its airstrikes were carried out in retaliation to the firing of rockets from the al-Quds Brigades. The armed wing of Islamic Jihad revealed it fired mortar shells at Israeli armored vehicles and troops in central Gaza, targeting the Wad as-Salqa area.

The Israeli Military claims that the air force "struck a weapons manufacturing site and a smuggling tunnel in the southern Gaza Strip. Direct hits were identified." The army added: "The IDF holds the Hamas terrorist organization solely responsible for maintaining the calm in the Gaza Strip and for any terrorist activity emanating from it. The IDF will also continue to respond harshly to any attempt to use terror against the State of Israel."

Tunnels in Gaza are used to bring in essential supplies as Israel continues its four-year siege of the coastal strip, depriving the 1.5-million Gazan population of food, fuel and other necessities.

gaza strip | israeli attacks | news report alessandra.bajec at gmail dot com