Israeli airstrikes responded, Monday, August 24, to the launching of incendiary balloons towards its territory from the Gaza Strip. 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 of the territory), the entrance to an underground tunnel in Jabaliya (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”, the army said in a statement issued the night of Monday to Tuesday. The raids did not cause any casualties, but they caused material damage, said a Palestinian security source in the enclave.
In addition, a Palestinian teenager was killed on Tuesday by new fire from the Israeli army during clashes in the Balata refugee camp (northern West Bank), according to the Palestinian health ministry. The IDF confirmed it fired at a “Suspect who tried to throw a large object at the soldiers from a roof”.
The second round of raids in less than a week
The strikes followed 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.
The raids took place following clashes between Palestinians and the Israeli army that took place 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 2 million inhabitants. Israel and Hamas fought an eleven-day lightning war 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 killed 13 people, including a soldier, according to police and military.
