An IAF aircraft carried out an attack on a terrorist cell that was about to launch a firebomb balloon from the northern Gaza Strip into Israeli territory, the IDF Spokesperson’s Office announced Monday.
The Dorot Forest near the Gaza Strip was set on fire Monday, and security forces are checking whether it was the result of a balloon launched from the Gaza Strip.
Ma’an said the Israeli aircraft fired a missile at a squad east of Jabaliya in the northern Gaza Strip. It cited witnesses who said an unmanned drone targeted the squad but no injuries were reported.
Ma’an also reported that Israeli artillery opened fire at a Hamas post east of Al-Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, but no injuries were reported. The news agency Shehab reported artillery fire by IDF forces at two Hamas observation posts in the Gaza Strip.
This is the second attack of a balloon squad within two days, following a commitment by Hamas to halt all such activities.
On Sunday, an IAF aircraft also fired at a terrorist squad attempting to launch incendiary balloons from the northern Gaza Strip. According to the IDF Spokesperson’s Office, Sunday’s cell was attacked a moment before the attempted launch. There were a number of casualties.
Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman said on Monday that Israel is not ready to accept the reality in which fires regularly result from kite terrorism and friction along the Gaza border fence.
“We have done everything to prevent a war in the Gaza Strip, so whatever happens from now on, the responsibility is solely with the Hamas leadership,” Liberman said.
