expanded
Israeli jets struck Hamas targets in response to the launch of incendiary balloons on Monday morning, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit announced.
The strikes were aimed at several buildings in a Hamas military base and at infrastructure and utilities used for the group’s activities. The base was “adjacent to civilian sites, including a school,” the statement said.
The incendiary balloons were the first to be launched after three weeks of calm. They landed in Israeli territory and sparked at least three fires in the Eshkol Regional Council in southern Israel.
“The IDF will respond strongly to the continuation of terrorist attempts from the Gaza Strip,” the military said.
During the strikes, machine guns were fired towards the jets causing damage to a building in the Eshkol regional council. There were no injuries.
Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem was quoted by Palestinian Maan News Agency as saying that the strikes were a “failed attempt [by Israel] to show its impotent strength and restore the image of its army, which was shaken by the Battle of Saif al-Quds.”
Stressing that Hamas is “ready to deal with all options” and that the group “will not allow the occupation to impose its equations,” Qassem added that the strikes “will not stop the resistance of the Palestinian people to recover their rights to their land and sanctuaries. They will continue their legitimate struggle to live in freedom and dignity on Palestinian land.”
Hamas has repeatedly warned that it would restart hostilities over any incidents in Jerusalem, while Israel has vowed that incendiary balloons would be treated no differently from rocket attacks.
Since the end of May’s Operation Guardian of the Walls, dozens of incendiary and explosive balloons have been launched towards southern Israel. In response, the Israeli army has struck Hamas targets in Gaza.
Several hours earlier, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) Maj.-Gen. Ghasan Alian announced that Israel would cut Gaza’s authorized fishing zone from 12 nautical miles to six.
“The decision was made following the continued launching of incendiary balloons from the Gaza Strip toward Israel, which constitutes a violation of Israeli sovereignty,” read a statement released by COGAT, adding that “The decision will go into immediate effect and be in place until further notice.”
Before May’s hostilities, the fishing zone was extended to 15 nautical miles. Israel periodically reduces the fishing zone following violence from the coastal enclave.
The decision comes less than two weeks after Gaza’s fishing zone was expanded from nine to 12 nautical miles due to the relative calm of recent weeks.
“Hamas is responsible for all activities within the Gaza Strip and all actions originating in the Gaza Strip directed towards the State of Israel, and it will therefore bear the consequences for the violence committed against the citizens of the State of Israel,” COGAT said.