Israeli soldiers and Palestinian gunmen fought in southern Gaza today as Israel began a raid hours after US President George W. Bush pledged support for a pullout from the strip.
Eleven Palestinians, including militants and civilians, were wounded when a helicopter fired a missile at a building where gunmen were concealed, Palestinian sources said.
They said four houses had been destroyed in the raid carried out by troops who thrust into the Rafah refugee camp in 40 armoured vehicles backed by helicopters.
Soldiers searching for weapons smuggling tunnels in Rafah, on the Gaza-Egypt border, came under Palestinian gun and rocket fire and were also attacked with hidden bombs, Israeli military officials said.
There were no reports of Israeli casualties.
Israel has carried out frequent raids in Rafah - a militant stronghold - during a Palestinian uprising that has lasted more than three years. Troops have demolished scores of homes in missions to uncover and destroy arms smuggling conduits.