A'math of attack on border area, which Israel says targeted smuggling tunnel

Описание: (30 May 2010) SHOTLIST
Rafah, southern Gaza Strip - 30 May 2010
++DAY SHOTS++
1. Wide of air strike area with rubble
2. Palestinians walking in rubble
3. Various of damaged buildings
4. Various of people looking through rubble
5. Wide of damaged building
Rafah, southern Gaza Strip - 30 May 2010
++NIGHT SHOTS++
6. Pan of Rafah skyline
7. Wide of explosions caused by airstrike
8. Mid of smaller explosion
9. Wide of tunnels area skyline, where airstrike hit
10. Pan of Gaza-Egypt border area skyline
STOYRLINE
The Israeli air force carried out an airstrike early on Sunday on the border area between Gaza Strip and Egypt.
An Israeli army spokesperson said the airstrike came in response to a rocket launched from the Gaza Strip into Israel on Saturday evening, landing near the southern Israeli city of Ashdod.
A Palestinian eye witness said the missiles hit the area of the inoperative Yasser Arafat International Airport in Rafah, near the border with Egypt, causing explosions that lit the skyline.
No injuries were reported in this attack but several buildings were damaged.
Palestinians were seen sifting through the rubble on Sunday.
The Israeli army says the airstrike targeted a cross-border smuggling tunnel that is allegedly used for smuggling arms into the Gaza Strip.
Israel and Egypt have kept Gaza's official border crossings closed since Hamas seized control of the coastal strip in 2007 from forces loyal to Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who now only governs in the West Bank.
Numerous smuggling tunnels were dug since then across the border with Egypt.
Egypt has clamped down recently on smuggling by building an underground steel wall and seizing contraband.
But the United States and Israel have been pushing Egypt to do more to try to close the tunnels, which provide Hamas with a lifeline, helping it to stay in power in Gaza.
Weapons and other contraband regularly move through the tunnels.
But the 1.5 (m) million residents of the impoverished Gaza Strip also rely on the tunnels to bring in food and commercial goods like refrigerators and clothing.

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