Israeli forces raid Palestinian stronghold in Gaza

GAZA - Israeli special forces backed by at least one transport helicopter raided a Palestinian militant stronghold in the southern Gaza Strip on Thursday, touching off fierce battles with local militants, witnesses said.

They said the troops were believed to have circled a house belonging to suspected gunmen from the governing Islamic group Hamas in Rafah, a town on Gaza's southern border with Egypt that sees regular arms smuggling.

Rafah is also the area where Israel believes a soldier abducted by Gazan gunmen in a June 25 border raid might be held.

- REUTERS