(ROUGH CUT ONLY - NO REPORTER NARRATION)<br/> <br />An Israeli air strike on a vehicle killed three Palestinian security officials in the Hamas-Islamist ruled Gaza Strip on Wednesday (September 19), Palestinian medics and Hamas said.<br/> <br />The Israeli military confirmed it had launched an air strike in Gaza but had no further comment.<br/> <br />Hamas and Palestinian hospital officials said a raid after darkness fell in the town of Rafah on Gaza's border with Egypt killing three officials responsible for overseeing tunnels used to import goods from Egypt.<br/> <br />In a statement, Hamas said: "Israel has assassinated three of our officers as they were doing their duty in protecting the security of our people."<br/> <br />Israel accuses Hamas of using the subterranean conduits to smuggle in weapons used to attack the Jewish state.<br/> <br />Israel has often targeted Gaza militants by aerial attack in response to rocket fire at its southern towns. Last week Israel killed three gunmen suspected of firing short-range missiles at an Israeli town.
