GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Israel fired missiles at a Gaza City naval base Saturday in a fourth day of reprisals for a Palestinian weapons smuggling operation, and disputed a Palestinian claim that two suspects in the affair have been detained.
One of the men supposedly in detention is not even in the Palestinian areas, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's office said.
The Palestinians said Israel's daily attacks, including the razing of homes and the demolition of the runway of Gaza International Airport, were inflaming an already-tense situation.
"This is not the way to bring the peace process back on track," said Ahmed Qureia, the speaker of the Palestinian parliament.
In Saturday's attack on Gaza City's harbor, Israeli navy boats fired missiles at a Palestinian naval base, destroying a small patrol boat and setting fuel tanks ablaze.
Divers also blew a large hole into the Jandala, a vessel that had occasionally been used by Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
The Israeli military said the base was targeted because Palestinian naval police officers were involved in the smuggling and a Wednesday attack that left four soldiers dead.
Israel last week intercepted a boat carrying 50 tons of weapons from Iran which the Palestinian captain said were destined for the Gaza Strip.
Israel has said Arafat and his Palestinian Authority were behind the shipment of arms, which included rockets, explosives and anti-tank missiles forbidden under Israeli-Palestinian accords.
Palestinians have come under intense Israeli and U.S. pressure to produce explanations and punish anyone involved, but have denied any ties to the shipment.
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