An Israeli F-16 warplanes fired on Wednesday morning a bomb at the house of top Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) leader Mahmoud Azzahar, killing at least three people, and wounded at least 25 others, witnesses and medical sources reported.

The witnesses said that an F-16 Israeli warplane flew over Gaza City and then fired a bomb that hit Azzahar's house directly, where a column of black some was seen coming out from the building.

Medical sources reported that three Palestinians were killed, among them probably Khaled Azzahar, 23, son of Mahmoud Azzahar, andt wo bodyguards of Azzahar.

Senior Hamas leader Mahmoud Azzahar was wounded, witnesses said, adding he was hurt in the leg and rushed to nearby Shifa Hospital.

The missile hit Zahar's home in Gaza City's Rimal neighborhood. Plumes of smoke were seen rising into the air. Several adjacent houses were damaged, according to witnesses.

Thousands of curious people and neighbors as well as rescue teams of ambulances and firefighters arrived at the scene, where they chanted slogans of revenge from Israel.

The house was totally destroyed after the F-16 bomb hit the building, in which the explosion caused horror among school children who were leaving their schools ending the morning shift and others were heading to schools for the afternoon shift.

It is the first Israeli retaliatory action against Hamas following two separate suicide bombing attacks carried out by two Palestinian militants killing at least 14 Israelis.

(Xinhua News Agency September 10, 2003)