Israel mobilises 16 000 more reservists

Jerusalem - Israel mobilised 16 000 additional reservists, taking their total to 86 000, as military operations in the Gaza Strip continue, an army spokesperson said on Thursday.

"The army has issued 16 000 additional mobilisation orders to allow troops on the ground to rest, which takes the total number of reservists to 86 000", said the spokesperson.

Israel's security cabinet, which met for five hours on Wednesday, unanimously decided to pursue attacks against Hamas "terrorist targets" and other operations to destroy a network of tunnels used by the Islamist movement between Gaza and Israel, public radio said.

Another meeting of the cabinet, which comprises eight ministers, will be held on Thursday afternoon, the radio added.

Public radio quoted Major General Sami Turgeman, the senior officer for the Gaza region, as saying that the destruction of militants' remaining tunnels into Israel could be complete "in a few days".