Israeli tanks seal off Gaza town

One Palestinian was killed and one wounded, security officials said.

The military operation came in response to a Palestinian rocket attack on the Israeli border town of Sderot that killed a 49-year-old man and a 3-year-old boy outside two nursery schools. It marked the first time in nearly four years of fighting that the crude homemade missiles killed Israelis.

Over the weekend, Palestinian militants also blasted an army outpost in the heart of Gaza with hundreds of pounds of explosives, killing a soldier. Hamas claimed responsibility for both attacks, and the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades said it participated in blowing up the outpost.

In an initial response to the pair of extraordinary attacks, Israeli helicopters fired missiles at a Hamas-linked media center in a 16-story building in Gaza City and a metal workshop in a refugee camp early Tuesday. The army said rockets were being made at the workshop.

The army also blew up an empty eight-story building and razed 15 homes near the outpost. The demolitions left about 60 Palestinians homeless.

Despite the upsurge in violence, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Monday he remains determined to go ahead with his planned withdrawal from Gaza in 2005. Addressing lawmakers, Sharon pledged to speed up the evacuation of settlers who are ready to leave voluntarily.

However, Israel's vice premier, Ehud Olmert, said that despite the planned withdrawal, "there is a war against terror, and we shall continue fighting terror regardless of disengagement."

Early Tuesday, Israeli tanks and bulldozers rumbled into northern Gaza, including the town of Beit Hanoun, blocking roads under intense cover of machine gun fire from helicopters. There was no return fire from Palestinians, witnesses said.