Israel strikes Gaza in 'response' to incendiary balloons

Israeli fighter jets attacked the posts and facilities belonging to the armed wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in the Gaza Strip.

Meanwhile, an Israeli army spokesman has said that the attack on Monday was made in response to the launch of incendiary balloons towards southern Israel, Xinhua news agency reported on Tuesday.

According to the Palestinian security sources, the posts and facilities belong to al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas armed wing in southern, central and northern Gaza Strip.

Medical sources said no injuries were reported, while the security sources said that Hamas militants evacuated all the posts and facilities in the Gaza Strip for fear of being targeted by Israeli airstrikes.


The Hamas-run al-Aqsa radio in Gaza reported that Hamas militants fired from heavy machine guns at the fighter jets.

Also on Monday, Israeli media reported that more than nine fires broke out in southern Israel after dozens of incendiary balloons were launched from the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, and severe damage was caused to several farms in the area.

On Saturday, Israeli fighter jets attacked several posts and facilities of Hamas after an Israeli soldier was seriously wounded at the borderline area between eastern Gaza Strip and Israel.


The airstrike on the Gaza Strip on Monday night is the fourth one since the end of the last round of fighting that lasted for 11 days and ended on May 21, leaving more than 250 Palestinians and 13 Israelis dead.-IANS