"Many terrorists, whose presence at the targeted sites had been confirmed by intelligence, have been rendered ineffective" in the raid, the general staff said in a statement on its Internet site.

Bombardments, which began at 11:00 pm (2000 GMT) on Thursday, targeted Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) hideouts in the Qandil mountains along the Iraq-Iran border and destroyed 43 targets, including a communication centre.

"The raid...has delivered a major blow to the PKK terrorist organization," the statement said, describing the strikes as "comprehensive and efficient."

The army did not say how many planes took part in the bombing, but Turkey's NTV news channel put the figure at 50 fighter jets.

The pro-PKK Firat news agency reported that the bombing lasted three hours.

Speaking in northern Iraq, PKK spokesman Ahmed Danis said the rebels had suffered no losses but expressed concern that the Turks and the Iranians were increasing their cooperation against the rebels.

"There is co-ordination between Iranian and Turkish militaries to attack PKK and Pejak," Danis said, referring to an Iranian offshoot of the Kurdish rebel group.

"We have information suggesting that there was a meeting between Turkish and Iranian sides on Wednesday, April 30. The meeting was near the border but inside Iranian territory and aimed at locating the places they want to attack later."

Aided by real-time intelligence from the United States, Turkey has carried out several air strikes in northern Iraq since December 16 as well as a week-long ground incursion last month targeting a major PKK base in the Zap area.

The White House on Friday endorsed the latest Turkish strike, saying it targeted "terrorists".

"These are ongoing operations against the PKK, a terrorist organization. The United States, Iraq and Turkey are all committed to dealing with this problem," said US National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe.

Faced with increasing PKK violence, the Turkish government secured parliamentary approval for cross-border military action against the the rebels for a period of one year in October.

Ankara charges that more than 2,000 PKK rebels are holed up in mountain camps in northern Iraq, where they are tolerated by the local Kurdish administration and obtain weapons for cross-border attacks.

But Turkey is also under pressure from Washington and at home to back up military action against the PKK with political and economic gestures to the sizeable Kurdish community and erode popular support for the rebels.

Kurdish activists have urged the government to issue a general amnesty for the PKK to encourage the militants to lay down arms.

The PKK, listed as a terrorist group by Turkey and much of the international community, has been fighting for self-rule in Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast since 1984. The conflict has claimed more than 37,000 lives.

burs-han/tw