Netanyahu to South mayors: 'These acts of terror won't go unpunished'
"We will intensify the retaliation campaign if needed," Netanyahu said, adding that Israel is preparing for the possibility of military operations in Gaza, if necessary.
By SARAH CHEMLAPalestinian members of al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Hamas movement, display home-made rockets during an anti-Israel military parade, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip August 21, 2016(photo credit: REUTERS/IBRAHEEM ABU MUSTAFA)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with mayors from Israel's South on Tuesday regarding the incendiary balloons and rockets launched from the Gaza Strip into Israel, and assured them that Israel will take action against Hamas."I really appreciate your stance and the fact that you understand that we do not take it lightly," he told them, adding that the IDF already retaliated by "bombing... Hamas and terrorist infrastructures" for 10 days in a row."We haven't spared any means" in striking back against the Gaza-based terrorist organizations, he continued."We will intensify the campaign of retaliation if needed, and we are also preparing for the possibility [of military operations] if necessary.“I hope we won’t reach that," he added. "Hamas will make a very big mistake if they continue [with incendiary balloons and rockets]."Hamas already received an indication of where this wave of terror will lead them," Netanyahu explained. "They will surely remember where it led, and I hope the Islamic Jihad will also remember it.""I really appreciate your stance and the fact that you understand that we do not take it lightly," he concluded.On Tuesday alone, 39 fires broke out in southern Israel due to incendiary balloons flown from Gaza, and the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit confirmed that at least one rocket had been fired into Israel on Tuesday evening. There were no injuries or damage caused by the rocket, which reportedly fell in an open field.
