Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak says Tel Aviv's wide-ranging ground offensive in the Gaza Strip will be "full of surprises".

In a Sunday address to the parents and families of IDF troops in the Gaza Strip, Barak predicted a long and difficult operation in the densely-populated Gaza - which houses some 1.5 million Palestinians.

"War is full of surprises and difficult challenges but our best fighters are leading the operation," said Barak.

Israeli tanks and troops swept across the border into Gaza on Saturday night, opening a ground war in the territory after Israeli aircraft pounded the impoverished strip for over a week.

The military operation was launched six weeks before the upcoming Israeli elections scheduled for February 10.

Although Israeli echelons claim that the operation has nothing to do with politics, a recent survey has revealed that the offensive bodes well for Kadima and Likud, respectively headed by Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

This comes as Labor Party chief, Ehud Barak, has reportedly emerged at this stage as the biggest political winner of the campaign.

SBB/AA