Turkish warplanes bombed Kurdish rebel targets in northern Iraq on Saturday in the third confirmed cross-border offensive by Turkish forces in less than a week, a statement posted on the military's website said.

The military said the bombing lasted nearly a half-hour Saturday afternoon, and was followed by shelling from inside Turkish borders.

The statement did not say how deep into Iraqi territory the warplanes penetrated, or which areas were shelled.

It vowed to continue military operations on both sides of Turkish-Iraqi border "no matter how the conditions are."

Turkish jet fighters on Dec. 16 launched the first confirmed air assault on Iraqi soil since the U.S.-led invasion, bombing bases in northern Iraq held by the separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK.

Turkish forces periodically have shelled across the border, and at times have carried out limited raids on the Iraqi side.

The rebels have battled for autonomy in southeastern Turkey for more than two decades, and use strongholds in northern Iraq for cross-border strikes.

After a surge in rebel attacks in the past months, Turkey has said it can no longer tolerate the attacks on its troops, and Turkey's parliament in October authorized the military to strike back at the rebels inside Iraq.
 
In Saturday's statement, the military said "hundreds" had been killed in ongoing operations, citing "intelligence gathered from various sources."

It said footage showing the results of the operations would be released in coming days.