(Communicated by the IDF Spokesperson)
 
Overnight, the Israeli Air Force successfully targeted a terror tunnel leading from the southern Gaza Strip towards Israel in a joint IDF and ISA operation. The tunnel was intended to be used for an infiltration into Israeli territory in order to carry out a terrorist attack against Israeli citizens or IDF soldiers. It was dug from underneath a building located 1.5 kilometers away from the security fence.

The attack was in response to mortar shells fired from Gaza into Israeli territory and towards Israel Defense Forces on Thursday.

Since the start of 2009, approximately 720 mortar shells, Grad missiles, and Kassam rockets have been fired from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory.

Since the end of operation Cast Lead on January 18th there have been approximately 225 mortar shells, Grad missiles, and Kassam rockets fired at Israel.

This past month approximately 10 mortar shells and three Kassam rockets were fired at Israel by Palestinian terror organizations.