The Israeli attack created a state of fear among civilians, especially women and children.

Witnesses said that the Israeli air strikes which targeted two tunnels near Salah Al-Deen gate along the Egypt border have completely destroyed them. The third attack hit an open area causing no casualties.

In northern Strip, a metal workshop was also hit by the Israeli warplanes.

The Israeli military said that the attacks on the Gaza Strip came in response to homemade rockets and mortar shells that were fired from the enclave and hit southern Israel.

The impoverished enclave of 1.5 million people has largely relied on the vast network of tunnels on the border since Israel sealed Gaza off to all but vital humanitarian aid in 2006 after resistance fighters captured an Israel soldier in across-border military operation east of Rafah city. After Hamas took control of the territory in June 2007, Israel tightened the siege and closed all the crossings including the Rafah crossing border.

Israel accuses the Palestinians of using the tunnels to smuggle weapons for the resistance movement in the region. But the Palestinians dismiss the claim, saying that the tunnels are only used for bringing foods, and vital goods needed for the people in the blockaded Strip.

— With input from agencies