Israeli forces advanced deeper into the Gaza Strip on Wednesday — seizing parts of a major corridor separating the enclave’s northern half from the south — as Israel steadily ramped up pressure on Hamas after the cease-fire’s collapse.

The operation followed a wide-scale Israeli aerial bombardment in Gaza the previous day that effectively ended the fragile truce that had held between Israel and Hamas since mid-January. Neither side was willing to meet the other’s demands to extend the deal, free more hostages and end the war in Gaza.

In a statement, the Israeli military said soldiers had begun “targeted ground activities” along the road — known as the Netzarim corridor — to create a “partial buffer zone” between northern and southern Gaza. Another infantry brigade had also been dispatched to prepare for deployment into Gaza, the military said.

Israeli forces had “expanded their control further to the center of the Netzarim corridor,” the military said in a statement.