Israel bombs Gaza target, none hurt, Hamas says

GAZA, July 24 (Reuters) Israel launched an air strike in Gaza City today that narrowly missed a militant commander but damaged a building, witnesses and Hamas television said.

An Israeli military spokeswoman confirmed there was an air strike but gave no further details.

Witnesses said a local commander from the Islamic Jihad militant group, apparently the target of the attack, narrowly escaped death or injury. He was spotted driving by, and when an Israeli aircraft flew overhead he jumped out of the vehicle.

The missile struck a building nearby, causing some damage but no injuries, the witnesses said.

Israel periodically bombs militant targets in Gaza, now controlled by Hamas Islamists who defeated the rival Fatah movement in street fighting last month.

Two Palestinian militants were killed in an air strike on Sunday when Israel struck at gunmen launching rockets at the Jewish state from northern Gaza.

Reuters BT RN