Israeli engineering and armored corps as well as military units entered the Erez industrial zone in northern Gaza Strip Tuesday noon, searching for tunnels and explosive devices, the Yedioth Ahronoth daily reported.

Israeli army sources said that the tunnel threat still exists, not only for Israel Defense Forces (IDF), but for communities near the strip as well.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Amir Peretz decided on Tuesday that the IDF would step up its operations in northern Gaza Strip, but the timing for a large- scale operation was not determined yet.

Olmert visited the western Negev town of Sderot Tuesday morning and met with Mayor Eli Moyal and other regional leaders.

The prime minister said the IDF would cease hitting infrastructure in Gaza only after the Palestinians stop firing rockets at southern Israel.

"It is not so pleasant without electricity, but Qassams kill," he said.

The Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are facing shortage of power supply as a power plant in the strip was destroyed in an Israeli air strike.

Palestinian militants fired three rockets into Israel from northern Gaza Strip in the morning, one of which landed near kibbutz Yad Mordechai and two others in open fields near kibbutz Nahal Oz. There was no report about injury and damage.

Meanwhile, IDF continues to fire shells at Gaza and Israel Air Forces occasionally carries out air raids in the region.

Source: Xinhua