Israeli airstrikes on Gaza tunnels injure 4 Palestinians

Gaza - Israeli aircraft bombed tunnels running under the Gaza Strip-Egyptian border early Sunday morning, wounding 4 Palestinians, Palestinian security officials and the Israeli military said. The security officials said the aircraft bombed 5 tunnels used for smuggling goods and weapons into the Gaza Strip from Egypt. An Israeli military spokesman said two tunnels were hit.

Palestinian medical officials said the 4 local workers sustained light injuries.

The Israeli military spokesman said the strike came in response to a missile fired from the Gaza Strip Saturday at southern Israel.

Palestinian militants meanwhile detonated Sunday morning an explosive device near an Israeli army jeep patrolling along the security fence which the Strip from Israel.

The Israeli army forces responded by opening fire towards fields in the east of al-Bureej refugee camp in central Gaza Strip, forcing farmers to flee from the area.

No Palestinian group claimed responsibility for firing the rocket.

Palestinian rocket attacks have largely decreased after Israel ended a military offensive in the salient on January 18 as Hamas maintained a level of self- restraint.

On Monday, 5 Palestinian militants were killed in a botched attack on a border crossing between Israel and the salient.

source:
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/273097,israeli-airstrikes-on-gaza-tunnels-injure-four-palestinians.html

British fighter jet crashes in southern Afghanistan

KABUL (Reuters) - A British Harrier fighter jet crashed in southern Afghanistan Thursday, injuring the pilot, NATO said.

The alliance said in a statement that the aircraft had made an emergency landing at Kandahar Airfield in the south of the country. The pilot ejected and was believed to have suffered only minor injuries. There were no other casualties.

"The exact cause of the incident is not yet known, however there is currently no suggestion that the incident was caused by enemy action," the alliance said in a statement.

Earlier a spokesman blamed mechanical failure for the crash, which he said had taken place shortly after takeoff.

Royal Air Force has had BAE Harrier GR7 aircraft deployed in Afghanistan since 2006, adding more advanced Harrier GR9s in early 2007.

source: http://uk.reuters.com/article/UKNews1/idUKTRE54D1KQ20090514