TEMPO.CO, Jerusalem - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued an order to the Isralei military on Friday, July 18, 2014, to launch ground offensive in the Gaza Strip. Some heavy artillery was seen travelling along Gaza border.
"The prime minister and defence minister have instructed the IDF [Israel Defense Force] to begin a ground operation tonight in order to hit the terror tunnels from Gaza into Israel," said a statement from the Prime Minister Office as quoted by Reuters.
A statement from the Israeli military added that this operation would involve infantry, armored corps, corps of engineers, artillery and intelligence combined with supports from the air force and the navy.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas for control over the Gaza Strip has escalated in the last ten days after the discovery of three bodies suspected to be Israeli teens followed by the killing and burning of a Palestinian teenager. Hamas' rocket attacks to Israel were countered by air strikes that killed more than 200 people in the Gaza Strip and one Israeli citizen.
ANINGTIAS JATMIKA | REUTERS