Palestinian President Yasser Arafat is reported to be trapped in the West Bank after Israeli helicopter gunships targeted his Ramallah compound today.
The 73-year-old was bundled into an underground bunker when the three missiles hit his offices, but was unhurt.
Israel claimed Mr Arafat was not the target but "we had to hit something close to him personally."
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A Palestinian doctor treats a Palestinian boy wounded during an Israeli air raid in Gaza Strip
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Israeli aircraft dropped missiles and bombs on Palestinian security offices across the West Bank and Gaza Strip, killing a 15-year-old boy and a Palestinian policeman and injuring more than 100 in one of the most intense strikes in 14 months of fighting.
Israel said it was sending a stern warning to the Palestinian leader that there would be even harsher reprisals if he did not crack down on militants who have been carrying out attacks on Israelis.
"The purpose was to send a clear military message: ‘Friends, we've had enough, take the responsibility that you have and stop the terrorism,’" said the Israeli army spokesman, Brigadier General Ron Kitrey.
The air attacks came in response to weekend suicide bombings and shooting attacks on Israelis by Islamic militants that killed 26 people and wounded nearly 200.
Mr Arafat, speaking after the air strike, accused Israeli Prime Minister Mr Ariel Sharon of trying to undermine his efforts to combat terrorism.
The Palestinian Authority has rounded up 130 members of the militant Islamic Jihad and Hamas groups since the weekend, and Palestinian officials said the sweep would continue despite the Israeli raids.
The Israelis "don't want me to succeed and for this he (Sharon) is escalating his military activities against our people, against our towns, against our cities, against our establishments," said Mr Arafat. "He doesn't want a peace process to start."
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An Israeli tank patrols the deserted streets of Ramallah
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Israel has dismissed the arrest sweeps as window dressing, saying Mr Arafat was only targeting secondary activists, not the real planners of terror attacks.
The Israeli reprisals have effectively trapped Mr Arafat in Ramallah. Israeli missiles have destroyed his three helicopters, and army bulldozers have torn up the landing strip at Gaza International Airport.
Mr Arafat cannot travel by land since Israeli troops have been encircling all Palestinian towns, barring residents from entering or leaving.
Israeli officials said they want to force Mr Arafat to remain in place to deal with the crisis, noting that in the past he often slipped away for world travel at a time when he should be attending to burning issues at home.
AP