Israeli air strikes yesterday destroyed a Hamas security headquarters and a car carrying one of the Islamist group's top commanders in a powerful response to rocket attacks by Palestinian militants.

At least one Hamas militant was killed and more than 40 others were wounded in two air strikes.

Smoke rose from what remained of the downtown office building that housed Hamas' Executive Force, which has been locked in fierce street battles for six days with fighters loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas' secular Fatah faction.