GAZA (Islamweb & News Agencies) - Israeli helicopters fired at least 20 missiles at Palestinian targets in the Gaza Strip early on Sunday, destroying a security position and wounding three people, Palestinian security officials said.The missile strikes followed a day of rising tension in which an Israeli was killed in a Palestinian mortar attack in Gaza and thousands of Palestinians vowed revenge for an Israeli missile strike that killed a leader of the militant Hamas group.
The violence was likely to complicate a new U.S. mission intended to help end 14 months of regional violence. Former U.S. Marine Corps General Anthony Zinni and Assistant Secretary of State William Burns are due to arrive in the region on Monday.
An Israeli occupation authority source said two Israelis were also wounded in Saturday's apparent mortar attack near the Jewish settlement of Kfar Darom.
In the missile attacks, Palestinian officials said that a position belonging to the Palestinian maritime police was destroyed north of Gaza city after helicopters fired three missiles at it.
Three more missiles hit targets in Deir el-Balah in central Gaza, including offices belonging to Palestinian President Yasser Arafat's Fatah faction, the officials said. Twelve missiles were believed to have struck security positions in Khan Younis in south Gaza.
There was no immediate comment from the Israeli occupation army.
A Palestinian security official told Reuters that the Israeli action constituted a ``new Israeli aggression'' that was pushing the region ``to explode.''