Israeli Army Bombs Gaza After Terror Balloons Reach Israel
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
(Worthy News) – Israel’s new government ordered airstrikes against militants in the Gaza Strip early Wednesday in response to incendiary balloons that crossed into the country from the Palestinian territory.
Israeli fighter planes struck military compounds allegedly belonging to Hamas, the militant group that controls Gaza, according to an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) statement.
Hamas “is responsible for all events transpiring in the Gaza Strip and will bear the consequences for its actions,” the IDF said. It warned that Israel was “prepared for any scenario, including a resumption of hostilities.”
Witnesses saw explosions lighting up the sky in northern and southern Gaza overnight, with reporters saying sites belonging to Hamas’s military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, were among those targeted.
The airstrikes in Gaza early Wednesday came shortly after Hamas launched incendiary balloons reached southern Israel, officials said. There were no immediate reports of casualties.
The incendiary balloons tend to be less destructive than the thousands of rockets fired in recent weeks from Gaza. However, they sometimes scorch large stretches of farmland and land near homes.
Israel’s new prime minister, Naftali Bennett, had previously said that those launching the balloons were “terrorists” who should be killed.
Hamas says it sent the balloons because the Israeli government permitted far-right Jews to march through Palestinian areas of Jerusalem on Tuesday night. Arab and leftist parties also objected to the protest.
The airstrikes were a significant test for the fragile coalition, made up of a colorful mix of parties whose main goal was to oust previous Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Gaza and Israel are still recovering from last month’s fighting, which killed at least 250 Palestinians and 13 people in Israel and damaged more than 16,000 homes, according to the United Nations. Israel says there were many militants among those killed and blames Hamas for using civilians as human shields.
Over 11 days, Gaza militants fired more than 4,000 rockets into Israel.
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