Tel Aviv, May 12 (IANS/DPA): Israel has said that it has discovered further tunnels in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli army Spokesman Daniel Hagari reported on Saturday that an "underground route" had been found in Zeitoun in the centre of the sealed-off coastal strip. Terrorists had planned attacks against Israeli troops from here.

A major military operation is taking place in the Zeitoun area.

According to Hagari, around 30 terrorists were killed.

Dozens of weapons had been seized in a school.

A tunnel had also been discovered in eastern Rafah in the south of the strip.

On Saturday evening, Israeli fighter planes also attacked targets in the northern Gaza Strip, said the army Spokesman. This was preceded by an evacuation of the civilian population on Saturday morning.

In recent weeks, attempts by the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement to restore its military facilities had been observed, Hagari said.

"Wherever we have knowledge of such attempts by Hamas, we will act."