Cruelbreed
03-08-2009, 02:26 AM
Israel launches airstrikes into Gaza
Story Highlights
Strikes hit "smuggling tunnels" on Gaza border, "weaponry storage site" in Gaza City
Israel says strikes in response to 6 rockets targeting Israeli since Saturday morning
No immediate reports of casualties
Egypt is trying to broker cease-fire agreement between Hamas and Israel
GAZA CITY (CNN) -- Israel launched airstrikes into Gaza on Saturday, responding to a series of rockets fired by Hamas the day before, the Israeli military said.
Hamas security forces also reported Saturday's strikes. There were no immediate reports of casualties.
The Israeli air force struck two "smuggling tunnels" on the southern Gaza border and one "weaponry storage site" in Gaza City, a military spokesman told CNN.
"In all strikes, a hit was identified," the spokesman said, adding that the strikes were in response to six rockets targeting Israeli since Saturday morning.
According to the Israeli military, more than 100 rockets, mortar shells and missiles have been fired at Israel by Palestinian militants in Gaza since Hamas (http://topics.cnn.com/topics/Hamas) leaders announced a cease-fire on January 18.
Israel also announced a cease-fire and pulled its troops out of Gaza (http://topics.cnn.com/topics/Gaza_Strip) in January, ending a three-week military campaign that the Israeli military said was aimed at halting the rocket fire.
Egypt has been trying to broker a broader cease-fire agreement between Hamas and Israel. Israel (http://topics.cnn.com/topics/Israel) is demanding that Hamas release kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit before it fully reopens the border crossings with Gaza.
Hamas has rejected discussing Shalit (http://topics.cnn.com/topics/Gilad_Shalit)'s release as part of any cease-fire negotiation.
Story Highlights
Strikes hit "smuggling tunnels" on Gaza border, "weaponry storage site" in Gaza City
Israel says strikes in response to 6 rockets targeting Israeli since Saturday morning
No immediate reports of casualties
Egypt is trying to broker cease-fire agreement between Hamas and Israel
GAZA CITY (CNN) -- Israel launched airstrikes into Gaza on Saturday, responding to a series of rockets fired by Hamas the day before, the Israeli military said.
Hamas security forces also reported Saturday's strikes. There were no immediate reports of casualties.
The Israeli air force struck two "smuggling tunnels" on the southern Gaza border and one "weaponry storage site" in Gaza City, a military spokesman told CNN.
"In all strikes, a hit was identified," the spokesman said, adding that the strikes were in response to six rockets targeting Israeli since Saturday morning.
According to the Israeli military, more than 100 rockets, mortar shells and missiles have been fired at Israel by Palestinian militants in Gaza since Hamas (http://topics.cnn.com/topics/Hamas) leaders announced a cease-fire on January 18.
Israel also announced a cease-fire and pulled its troops out of Gaza (http://topics.cnn.com/topics/Gaza_Strip) in January, ending a three-week military campaign that the Israeli military said was aimed at halting the rocket fire.
Egypt has been trying to broker a broader cease-fire agreement between Hamas and Israel. Israel (http://topics.cnn.com/topics/Israel) is demanding that Hamas release kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit before it fully reopens the border crossings with Gaza.
Hamas has rejected discussing Shalit (http://topics.cnn.com/topics/Gilad_Shalit)'s release as part of any cease-fire negotiation.