Hamas' armed wing Izz el-Deen al- Qassam Brigades claimed responsibility on Sunday for blowing up two Israeli armored personnel carriers (apc) near Rafah airport in southern Gaza Strip.

The group said in a leaflet that the first apc was hit by a roadside bomb that went off at 7:00 am local time (0400 GMT) just 100 meters away from the airport where Israel was beefing up troops and tanks in preparation for ground operation against the Gaza Strip.

It added that a rocket propelled grenade was fired at another apc in the same area, "destroying it completely," promising to release a video tape showing the two attacks.

There are no prompt comments from the Israeli side.

Al-Qassam Brigades militants along with the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) and its offshoot the Islamic Army snatched a 19- year-old Israeli Corporal Gilad Shalit in an cross-border attack on June 25.

Israel then launched an large-scale operation code-named " Summer Rains" Wednesday against the Gaza Strip to secure the return of Shalit who was believed to be held in southern Gaza Strip.

Except for several limited incursions on the ground, Israel has relied on air raids to destroy Gaza infrastructure and offices of the Hamas-led government.

Source: Xinhua