Israeli soldiers on Saturday fired heavy gunfire from tanks at Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's office in the West Bank city of Ramallah, wounding several of his bodyguards, Palestinians from inside Arafat's office said.

　　Two Israeli tanks which are besieging Arafat's office building in Ramallah fired intensive gunfire at the three-storey building, in which Arafat is staying at the second floor.

　　During a phone call from Arafat's office, one of his bodyguards told the Palestinian news agency WAFA that several of Arafat's bodyguards were injured.

　　The Israeli heavy gunfire was the most intensive attack since the Israeli army raided Arafat's headquarters compound in Ramallah and confined himsintoshis office, said the Palestinians, adding that the hall of the Palestinian cabinet was badly damaged.

　　"The hallswheresthe Palestinian leadership usually holds weekly meetings was damaged," said one of Arafat's bodyguards, adding that the hall is only a few meters away fromswheresArafat is staying.

　　And it is the second armed attack in the day by Israeli troops on the building in which Arafat stays, said the bodyguards.