Israel tries to assassinate Yasser Arafat

Israel has failed in an apparent attempt to assassinate Palestinian President Yasser Arafat at his office in the West Bank this morning.

Israeli fired three missiles at Mr Arafat’s headquarters in Ramallah, but he was not injured in the attack. The missiles exploded just a few yards from the building, sending Palestinian officials fleeing in panic.

Mr Arafat has been trapped in Ramallah since Israel surrounded the town yesterday after first destroying his personal helicopters in an attack in Gaza City.