The Israeli army launched an airstrike on the central Gaza Strip on late Thursday night, Palestinian security sources said.

Israeli military planes fired about six missiles onto central Gaza, said the sources, adding that loud blasts were heard.

There was no report of any casualties.

The Israeli army has yet made comments concerning the incident.

Israeli troops pressed ahead a broad ground offensive in the Gaza Strip on Thursday.

The operation, the first of its kind since Israel quit Gaza last summer after a 38-year-long occupation, was launched on early Wednesday as Israeli troops crossed the border and intruded into the southern Gaza Strip in a bid to free an Israeli soldier kidnapped by Palestinian militants on Sunday.

Several bridges, roads and the only Gaza power plant were destroyed in Israeli air raids during the past two days.

Source: Xinhua