During Monday’s (Jan. 12) operations, IDF forces uncovered a tunnel built to permit terrorists to enter Israel and carry out a large scale terror attack. The entrance to the tunnel was in a house located 300 meters from the security fence. 

120 trucks loaded with humanitarian aid entered the Gaza Strip through the Kerem Shalom and Karni crossings. These trucks carried 3,100 tons of food, medical equipment, and other basic supplies 

Since the start of Operation Cast Lead, approximately 920 trucks of humanitarian aid and over 1,000,000 liters of diesel fuel were transferred to the Gaza Strip 

IDF Ground Forces hit a number of armed gunmen in different incidents:

IDF forces hit a female terrorist who was about to carry out an attack against the forces.

Other forces uncovered a house rigged with explosives in the East of Gaza city. The house was detonated in a controlled manner.

Armored Corps forces identified a squad of armed gunmen launching mortar shells at IDF forces, and responded with fire, hitting the squad

Ground Forces directed the IAF in attacking squads of armed gunmen in a number of clashes 

The IAF targeted over 60 Hamas terrorist sites in Gaza throughout Monday (Jan. 12), including:

• Over 20 smuggling tunnels along the Rafah border.
• 9   squads of armed gunmen
• 2 mortar launchers
• 9rocket launching sites

Approximately 20 rockets and mortar shells were launched into Israel today; two rockets directly hit houses in Ashkelon and Sderot, causing severe damage 

In addition, one IDF soldier was lightly wounded in the fighting today

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S ummary of Midday Events,   January 12th, 2009

Since this morning IDF forces, including infantry, tanks, combat engineers, artillery, and intelligence, continued to operate against Hamas terrorist infrastructure throughout the Gaza Strip 

Ground forces were involved in a number of incidents in which several armed gunmen were hit.

A squad of terror operatives opened fire at ground forces from a mosque. The forces directed aerial forces that attacked the squad, and then searched the mosque, uncovering Qassam rockets and mortar shells.

In a different incident a force identified a number of armed gunmen and opened fire at them. The force later searched the area and uncovered a large amount of weaponry including anti aircraft missiles, mortar shells and machine guns 

In addition forces uncovered a tunnel and destroyed it while searching a house in the northern Gaza Strip. Another force identified a terror operative planting an explosive device and opened fire at him 

IAF aircraft attacked over 25 targets throughout the Gaza Strip, including the following:

• Eight squads of armed gunmen
• Two mortar launchers
• Four launching area
• Three structures
• Two vehicles in which Hamas terror operatives were driving
• Different targets as assistance to ground forces

165 trucks loaded with humanitarian aid are now being transferred via the Kerem Shalom and Karni crossings

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