GAZA CITY: Israeli warplanes carried out four air strikes on the southern Gaza Strip late Tuesday that caused no injuries, Palestinian security sources and witnesses said.

The raids struck targets near Rafah and north of Khan Yunis, near the border with Egypt, as well as targets near Zeitoun, east of Gaza City, and the Deir al-Balah refugee camp in the centre of the territory.

An Israeli military spokeswoman told AFP that the air force had carried out four raids against the Gaza Strip targeting "an arms workshop and three tunnels used for smuggling arms" from Egypt.

She added that the raids were in retaliation for a mortar shell fired Tuesday at Israel from the Gaza Strip.

Two Israeli soldiers were slightly wounded on Tuesday by the mortar shell fired by Palestinian militants, the military said.

On Monday an Islamic Jihad militant was killed and an Israeli soldier wounded in an exchange of fire.

BDST: 9:38 HRS, August 18, 2010