Four killed in Israeli air strikes

Four people died as Israeli helicopter gunships launched rocket attacks in the Gaza Strip following a double suicide bombing by Palestinian terrorists.

Tanks and troops were poised on the border with Gaza today in preparation for an Israeli revenge strike after the bombing in the city of Ashdod on Sunday which killed 10 Israelis.

Israeli officials said the air strikes had targeted strongholds of militant group Islamic Jihad. In the first attack, three missiles hit a house in Gaza City, killing a member of Islamic Jihad and a passer-by.

But the intended target - Mohammed al-Kharoubil, commanderof the group's armed wing - reportedly escaped unhurt. Fourteen people, including three children, were wounded.

In the Rafah area a helicopter fired two missiles at groups of gunmen, killing two Palestinians and wounding at least four.

As Israeli soldiers gathered at the border with Gaza, to the south of Israel, masked Palestinians armed with rifles and anti-tank grenades waited in streets and alleyways at Jabalya refugee camp.

As they took up battle positions, one gunman said: "We have prepared ourselves and said farewell to our families. If they come in it will be a battle to the death,"

Israel launched the Gaza City air strike hours after its security cabinet decided on the new military campaign in response to the Ashdod bombing.

But officials denied the offensive was aimed at permanently reoccupying parts of Gaza.

They said the army must hit militants hard to ensure they cannot claim victory should prime minister Ariel Sharon go ahead with a planned evacuation of settlements in Gaza.

More than 7,000 Israelis live in the territory among 1.3 million Palestinians.