• Tools:
• Save |
• Print |
• E-mail |
• Most Popular |

Israeli airstrike kills 3 Palestinians

Adjust font size:

JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Israeli forces killed three Palestinians during an airstrike in Gaza on Thursday and shot at an armed militant during operations in the Gaza city of Rafah, Israel Defense Forces said.

The Palestinians were targeted near Jebalya refugee camp after they were spotted retrieving a rocket launcher used in an earlier Qassam missile attack on the Israeli city of Sderot, Israeli military sources said.

In addition, Palestinian security and medical sources said gunfire from a small incursion of Israeli troops in Rafah left two dead and seven wounded.

IDF did not immediately confirm any casualties, but Israeli forces have been operating in the southern city of Rafah near the Gaza-Egypt border.

Israeli forces fired upon the armed militant in Rafah while they were carrying out arrests throughout the city, military sources said.

In a separate incident, Israeli troops returned fire on armed militants hiding in a nearby house after they initiated gunfire in Rafah, according to the military.

Israel has launched numerous operations into Gaza since the June 25 abduction of an Israeli soldier by Palestinian militants in a cross-border raid. The military campaigned is aimed at securing Cpl. Gilad Shalit's release and ending Palestinian attacks against Israel.

Get up-to-the minute news from CNN CNN.com gives you the latest stories and video from the around the world, with in-depth coverage of U.S. news, politics, entertainment, health, crime, tech and more.

---

• Oklahoma tornado cuts 17-mile path
• Syrian rebels fire rockets into Lebanon
• Trouble ahead for the Bundesliga?
• Indian acid attack victim fights for justice
• What you should know about Tumblr

• Irish PM to quit over payments scandal
• NATO chief: Afghan troop increase likely
• Militants hunted as calm retuns to Basra
• Pressure on Bush to skip Olympics
• BA sending misplaced T5 baggage to Milan

• Recruiting suicide bombers (2:50)
• London was lucky (2:36)
• Cars in London rigged as bombs (3:48)
• Second explosives-packed car foun (2:32)
• Soviet culture returns (3:47)