Israeli Apache attack helicopters fired two missiles at the headquarters of the Palestinian Interior Ministry in Gaza City on late Thursday night, Palestinian witnesses said.

No casualties were reported and the ministry building was empty at the time of the airstrike, said the witnesses, adding that the building was set on fire and sustained severe damages.

The Interior Ministry is headed by senior Hamas member Saeed Siam.

Meanwhile, Israeli military planes fired another two missiles at an office in downtown Gaza City, which belonged to the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, an armed wing of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement, said Palestinian witnesses.

Some damages were caused to the building but there was no report of any casualties, the witnesses added.

The Israeli army has confirmed the two strikes.

In addition, Palestinian security sources said that two other missiles hit an area near the only power plant in the Gaza Strip, which was located south of Gaza City, causing no casualties.

The power plant was destroyed in an Israeli air raid on early Wednesday, leading to a blackout in most areas of the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli army on Thursday pressed ahead a broad ground operation into the Gaza Strip in a bid to rescue an Israeli soldier kidnapped by Palestinian militants on Sunday.

The operation, launched on early Wednesday, is the first of its kind since Israel withdrew troops and settlers from the Gaza Strip nearly a year ago after 38 years of occupation.

Editor: Yan