Israeli helicopters hit Gaza targets

A Palestinian police officer on Monday inspects damage in the Preventive Security Services offices.

Story Tools

VIDEO CNN's Mike Hanna says Israeli troops blew up several Palestinian homes in Hebron, West Bank, after the killings of 12 soldiers and police (November 17) PLAY VIDEO CNN's Matthew Chance reports Israeli security forces have been arresting Palestinians in Hebron over the deadly attack on 12 Israelis (November 16) PLAY VIDEO Palestinian gunmen open fire on a group of Jews in the West Bank city of Hebron. (November 15) PLAY VIDEO RELATED • Mike Hanna: Sharon holds off far right  SPECIAL REPORT • Interactive: Road map explainer • Interactive: Timeline • Map: Occupied lands • Interactive: Key Players • Gallery: Mideast lands •  Special Report

GAZA CITY (CNN) -- Israeli tanks fired about 10 rounds at a target in Gaza City late Monday, Palestinian sources said, the seventh operation in Gaza in a week.

It was not clear what the attack's target was. Palestinian sources said fighters from the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades had been planning an attack on the Israeli army near the border and that two of the fighters and one civilian were wounded in the bombardment.

The shelling took place near a base for Force 17, the elite guard for Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. The Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, a military offshoot Arafat's Fatah movement, is designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department.

Israeli helicopters were in the air but did not fire in the operation, which began around 11 p.m. (4 p.m. ET) and lasted about half an hour, witnesses said.

Automatic gunfire, believed to come from the tanks, was also heard by witnesses. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli army.

Israeli mother killed

Earlier Monday, the Israel Defense Forces said a 49-year-old Israeli mother of seven was killed when shots were fired into a vehicle in which she was riding near a West Bank settlement.

Doctors said the woman, Ester Galia, died after being taken to Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem for treatment. Another passenger in the vehicle suffered minor wounds.

The shooting attack took place near the West Bank settlement of Rimonim, about nine miles northeast of Ramallah, the IDF said.

Israel says terrorist workshops targeted

Monday's raid was the latest in a series of Israeli operations in Gaza.

Israeli helicopters Sunday attacked two targets in the village of Tal el Hawa, just south of Gaza City, Palestinian sources and the Israeli military said.

Palestinian sources said one target was apparently the headquarters of the Palestinian Preventive Security Services, a security agency that is an arm of the Palestinian Authority.

The other target, the sources said, was the home of two brothers arrested two days ago in a lightning raid into Gaza by Israeli forces. The brothers, from the Makdad family, were on Israel's list of wanted militants.

The helicopters destroyed the home with cannon fire at least one rocket, the sources said. The Israeli military confirmed the attacks but would not identify the targets.

Israeli helicopters destroyed a workshop Sunday in the southern Gaza city of Khan Yunis and another Saturday in central Gaza City.

Israel said weapons used in terrorist attacks against Israelis were being built at both locations.

Iran poll to go to run-off • U.N.: Truck bomb killed Hariri • EU 'crisis' after summit failure • U.S. House votes to keep U.N. dues

CNN/Money: Security alert issued for 40 million credit cards • Bin Laden deputy sends message • U.S. House votes to keep U.N. dues • Iran poll to go to run-off