Israel carried out airstrikes on Gaza in response to firing incendiary balloons

Israel responded with air strikes on Gaza on Monday, August 24, to the launching of incendiary balloons towards its territory from the Palestinian enclave. The balloons had caused bushfires on Israeli soil, firefighters said in a statement.

Israeli military confirmed fighter jets targeted “A Hamas-owned weapons manufacturing site in Khan Younes” (south), the entrance to an underground tunnel in Jabalia (north) and an underground rocket launch site, “Located near houses and a school in Chejaya”, a district of Gaza City.

“The strikes were in retaliation for Hamas’ fire of incendiary balloons into Israeli territory earlier today”, said the army in a statement released on the night of Monday to Tuesday. The raids did not cause any casualties but caused material damage, said a Palestinian security source in the enclave.

The second round of raids in less than a week

These strikes follow other Israeli raids overnight from Saturday to Sunday on the Palestinian enclave, targeting “Four weapons manufacturing and storage sites” belonging to Hamas, according to the IDF.

These raids took place after clashes between Palestinians and the Israeli army on Saturday, on the sidelines of demonstrations organized along the barrier separating the Gaza Strip from Israel.

Some 40 Palestinians were injured by Israeli fire during the clashes, according to Hamas, while the Israeli security forces also reported one seriously injured in their ranks.

The Jewish state holds Hamas responsible for all actions taken towards its territory from the enclave. Under Israeli blockade for nearly fifteen years, the Gaza Strip has two million inhabitants.

Israel and Hamas fought an eleven-day blitz in May, in which 260 Palestinians were killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza, including fighters, according to local authorities. In Israel, rocket fire from Gaza left thirteen dead, including a soldier, according to police and military.