Some 30 Israeli tanks and bulldozers moved into the southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday in an operation against Palestinians, setting off clashes with Hamas fighters firing rocket-propelled grenades and mortar rounds. At least four Israeli troops were injured.
Soldiers took over the rooftops of several homes and detained about 60 people in house-to-house raids, locals told the AP. The Israeli military described the operation as a routine operation "against the terror infrastructure."
Four Islamic Jihad operatives were killed when an Israeli missile struck a house. The sources said in a statement that Khalil al-Aswad, Ibrahim Baroud and Mohammed Abu Hamra all Islamic Jihad member were killed in east khan Younis Governorate.
Four members of the Popular Resistance Committees, a coalition of armed groups, were hurt in a separate strike, medics said. One of the wounded died later from his wounds.
Also Tuesday, Israel carried out two airstrikes against armed Palestinians who approached troops in northern Gaza Strip, in the area of Beit Hanoun, the military said. The Israeli military said it identified two hits in the two separate assaults. Hamas said it attacked two groups of soldiers in northern Gaza Strip, but reported no casualties.
The Islamic Jihad group said one member was killed and three others were wounded in an Israeli ground attack on a rocket-launching squad.
