Israel Airstrikes Hamas Military Bases in Palestine... "Response to Incendiary Balloons"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suhwan] The Israeli military conducted airstrikes on Hamas military bases and outposts in the southern Gaza Strip, controlled by the Palestinian armed group Hamas.

On the 25th (local time), the Associated Press reported that Israeli authorities stated the airstrikes were a response to incendiary balloons launched by Hamas into Israeli territory.

The airstrikes occurred just hours after Palestinian activists released the incendiary balloons.

Local Israeli media reported that at least three large fires broke out in southern Israel due to the incendiary balloons, damaging agricultural land.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett likened the incendiary balloons to rocket launches and ordered the airstrikes.

Although the targeted military bases were reportedly near civilian areas including schools, no specific casualties have been confirmed yet.

Palestinian sources told Xinhua News Agency in an interview that Palestinian activists launched incendiary balloons in response to Israel tightening restrictions on Palestinian residential areas.

Xinhua also added that Israel strengthened sanctions against fishermen in the Gaza Strip on the 24th.

Israeli authorities reduced the permitted fishing distance off the Gaza coast from 12 nautical miles (about 22 km) to 6 nautical miles.

Previously, on the 2nd, the Israeli military bombed Hamas weapon production facilities in response to incendiary balloons. On the 15th of last month, after about 20 fires broke out in southern Israel due to incendiary balloons, Israel launched immediate retaliatory airstrikes.

Israel and Hamas entered an unconditional ceasefire after the '11-day war' in May, which was triggered by conflicts surrounding the Al-Aqsa Mosque, an Islamic holy site in East Jerusalem, and settlements.

Although discussions to stabilize the ceasefire are ongoing under Egyptian mediation, the situation remains unstable due to clashes over Israel’s demands for prisoner releases and Hamas’s demands for the transfer of aid funds provided by Qatar.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.