GAZA CITY, June 4: Israeli tanks and troops pushed deep into the southern Gaza Strip on Monday targeting Palestinian militant infrastructure in the first such ground operation into the area in months.

Soldiers took over two buildings and military bulldozers ripped up roads during the incursion around the town of Rafah, about two kilometres (just over a mile) inside Palestinian territory, witnesses said.

“Armoured and infantry forces are searching the area for terrorist infrastructure. Several Palestinians have been detained for questioning,” an army spokesman said.

According to Palestinian security sources, 20 people have so far been arrested in the raid.

It is the first time Israeli tanks have pushed so far into southern Gaza since a Nov 26 truce took effect, although bulldozers and armoured vehicles have carried out several small operations on the Palestinian side of the border.

Palestinian militants in northern Gaza meanwhile fired several mortar rounds towards Israel, which struck near the Erez border crossing without causing casualties or damage, the army said.

Israel has vowed no let-up in its operations against militants since it resumed air strikes against Gaza on May 16 following a sharp increase in rocket fire from the densely populated territory.

The air raids have killed 16 civilians and 37 militants, mostly from Hamas, but have failed to completely halt the rockets.—AFP