IDF forces– including infantry forces, tanks, combat engineers, artillery forices, and intelligence forces– continue to operate throughout the Gaza Strip with the assistance of the Israel Air Force and the Israel Navy.

A total of 18 rockets and mortar shells were fired into Israel today; no injuries were reported.
Four fuel containers and 102 trucks transporting humanitarian aid to Gaza passed through the Kerem Shalom crossing today, bringing the total of humanitarian aid trucks allowed into the Gaza Strip since the beginning of Operation Cast Lead to 1,028.

The IAF attacked over 100 targets since the early morning hours, including:

-55 weaponry smuggling tunnels in the southern Gaza Strip
-20 rocket launching sites
-22 cells of armed gunmen, some of which were targeted in coordination with ground forces

Troops operating in the northern Gaza Strip encountered several gunmen armed with anti-tank missiles and light weapons. The troops directed the IAF in targeting the gunmen, who were hit successfully.

Working with infantry troops in northern Gaza, combat engineering forces carried out the controlled detonation of a tunnel that led to Israeli territory, in the vicinity of the Nahal Oz terminal. The tunnel, uncovered on Monday in a joint IDF and ISA operation, was apparently intended to be used to kidnap Israeli citizens or soldiers.

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Summary of IDF Operations Overnight,   13 January 2009

Overnight, IDF forces, including the Infantry Corps, Armored Corps, Combat Engineering Corps, Artillery Corps, and Intelligence Corps, continued to operate against the Hamas terrorist infrastructure throughout the Gaza Strip.

Two rigged tunnels located near the security fence were uncovered by forces in the northern Gaza Strip. The forces fired at three terror operatives and uncovered many weapons in the area. In addition, forces uncovered a number of additional tunnels used by Hamas in the area.

Ground forces were involved in a number of incidents in which several armed operatives were hit. Throughout the night, approximately 30 terror operatives were hit.  Fire was opened at IDF forces from the yard of a mosque, the forces returned fire.

Forces also spotted a number of terror operatives planting explosive devices in the outskirts of Gaza City and directed aerial forces that struck them.

Different weapons were uncovered in a number of incidents including four mortar launchers, an explosive device, a vest and a camera.

IAF aircraft attacked over 60 targets throughout the Gaza Strip, including the following:

• A hotel in which terror operatives were gathering in order to fire at IDF forces
• A number of Hamas terror operatives who were rigging a house
• A number of terror operatives located in the yard of a mosque
• Fifteen tunnels in the Rafah border area
• More than ten rocket launching sites
• Ten Hamas outposts
• Approximately fifteen squads of armed operatives
• Seven weapons storage facilities
• A weapons manufacturing facility located in the house of a Hamas terror operative
• A rocket launching squad
• Dozens of additional targets were struck in assistance to ground forces

Israel Navy boats assisted in enforcing the marine closure on the Gaza Strip in preventing the entering of boats that might arrive in the area.

One IDF soldier was severely wounded, one was moderately wounded, and six were lightly wounded in various incidents throughout overnight operations.

100 trucks loaded with humanitarian aid are expected to be transferred via Kerem Shalom Crossing.

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Weapons Discovered in Zeitoun Mosque, 13 Jan 2009, 21:34 IST

These weapons were all part of a cache found inside the mosque by Israeli soldiers.

photos courtesy IDF Spokesperson

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