Skip to main content

Incendiary balloons may spell end of quiet on Israel-Hamas border

The rocket fired from Gaza at the beginning of the week and the incendiary balloons yesterday, might signal that the six months of quiet on the Israel-Hamas border are now over.
TOPSHOT - Masked Palestinians prepare to attach balloons to a gas canister before releasing it with an incendiary device near Gaza's Bureij refugee camp, along the Israel-Gaza border fence, on February 10, 2020. (Photo by MAHMUD HAMS / AFP) (Photo by MAHMUD HAMS/AFP via Getty Images)

Israeli fighter jets struck underground Hamas infrastructure in the Gaza Strip on the night of Aug. 5. The Israel Defense Forces did not offer any other details on the nature of the target.

The strike came hours after several explosive-laden balloons were launched from the Strip. A spokesperson for the Fire and Rescue Service said that the balloons started at least three fires. They were apparently small and posed no real danger, though one of them spread rather quickly. The fires were brought under control and no injuries were reported. Publications later in the day referred to five bush fires sparked by the incendiary balloons. Another balloon that carried a suspected explosive device was found near the southern city of Arad by police and detonated in a controlled explosion.

Access the Middle East news and analysis you can trust

Join our community of Middle East readers to experience all of Al-Monitor, including 24/7 news, analyses, memos, reports and newsletters.

Subscribe

Only $100 per year.