Israel to expand operation against Hamas if necessary

Israel will expand its operation against Hamas "if necessary", Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday evening, as a massive manhunt for the killers of three Israeli teenagers continues.

"We will weaken Hamas in the West Bank and stop Gaza rockets," Xinhua quoted Netanyahu as saying, while holding Hamas responsible for the killing of three Israeli teens who were kidnapped near Hebron in the West Bank two weeks ago.

Netanyahu said that Israel has three tasks at hand -- to locate the kidnappers, destroy Hamas' infrastructure in the West Bank and stop the rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip.

"We will find every one of those who took part in the kidnapping and murder of the three boys, no matter how long it takes," Netanyahu said. "We have already arrested hundreds of Hamas militants, closed dozens of its institutions, destroyed home and our hands are still outstretched."

egarding the rocket fire from Gaza, Netanyahu said that the Israel Defense Forces had operated against Hamas. "If there is a need, we will broaden the military operation against Hamas."

Overnight Monday, the Israeli military hit 34 targets in the Gaza Strip that were associated with Hamas and the Islamic Jihad movements, in response to 18 rockets launched Monday evening from the strip.

On Monday evening, the bodies of Gil-Ad Sha'ar and Naftali Frankel, both 16, and Eyal Yifrach, 19, were discovered near Hebron. They were kidnapped in the West Bank June 12.