Another night, another set of balloon bombs drifting their way across the skies of southern Israel. These days, however, some of them are exploding before they even make it to a safe landing.
On Thursday a total of more than 40 balloon bombs were launched from Gaza and flown over the border into Israeli territory with improvised explosive devices attached to them.
Shortly before midnight, a cluster of balloons with an explosive device dropped down in the Jewish community of Nahal Oz after crossing over the border from Gaza. A sapper from the Israel Police bomb squad was there to defuse it.
Just before 9 pm, one reached as far north as the city of Beit Shemesh, only half an hour’s drive from Jerusalem.
A couple of hours prior, a multicolored bunch of balloons landed at an intersection in the southern Israeli city of Netivot, tied to small homemade bomb.
Local residents immediately contacted Israeli police; officers came to the site together with members of the bomb squad and a sapper to examine and defuse the explosive.
A balloon bomb also landed at around 6 pm in the Negev “capital” city of Be’er Sheva, according to reports received by police.
The improvised explosive device (IED) attached to the balloons reportedly blew up before the balloons landed.
It’s become a daily ritual: balloon bombs launched from Gaza to attack Israel by day, and Israeli air strikes retaliating against the enclave’s ruling Hamas terrorist organization after nightfall in response, sometimes hours later, even.
The reason for the lateness of the response, say military sources, is to make an effort to avoid civilian casualties. The later the hour, the less chance there will be children and other civilians out and about, wandering the streets around the targeted areas.