An Israeli aircraft attacked a building in Gaza City on Tuesday, the army said, causing substantial damage to the structure.

There were no casualties, Palestinian officials said.

The attack hit the top floor of the three-story building, leaving a large hole in the roof. Witnesses said an unfinished apartment was hit. A car outside the building also was damaged.

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It was not immediately clear why the building was targeted. The army confirmed the attack, but gave no further details. Israel frequently attacks Palestinian rocket squads in Gaza.

Abu Hamze, a spokesman for Islamic Jihad, said the airstrike appeared to have targeted members of his group who were traveling in a car near the building.

Witnesses said a local Islamic Jihad commander, possibly the target of the attack, narrowly escaped death or injury. He was spotted driving by, and when an Israeli aircraft flew overhead he jumped out of the vehicle.

Islamic Jihad regularly fires rockets at Israeli communities close to the Gaza border.