Israel Launched air and artillery strikes on the Gaza Strip on December 27, 2008, targeting buildings believed to be occupied by Hamas militant personnel. Known as Operation Cast Lead, the attack came in response to rocket fire launched from the territory against Israeli towns. The conflict has escalated since the official six-month ceasefire period ended on December 19. Israel employed its air force from the start. F-16s were the primary fixed-wing aircraft used to attack targets, employing a variety of Israeli and imported precision-guided weapons including Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM). The aircraft successfully struck the tunnels constructed beneath the border with Egypt and used as a conduit to transport (amongst other things) weapons into the territory. F-15s have also been noted over the area.
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