After expanding its ground operations in Gaza, Israel’s army said on Saturday that it had identified and attacked several terror cells in the area.

“Since early Friday evening, combined combat forces of armour, combat engineers and infantry have been operating on the ground in the northern Gaza Strip,” the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said.

“As part of the operation, IDF soldiers identified terrorist cells attempting to launch anti-tank missiles and mortar shells and struck them. IDF soldiers also identified and destroyed a booby-trapped structure,” it said.

The army’s tanks directed helicopters toward a “Hamas operational meeting point for its terrorist operatives inside a building” and struck the building, the IDF said.

“In addition, several terrorist cells attempted to fire anti-tank missiles at the soldiers.

“The soldiers neutralised the cells,” the army said.

It was initially unclear whether the people were killed. 

(dpa/NAN)