IDF Strikes Hamas Targets in Gaza Amid Threat of Incendiary Balloons to Israeli Border Communities

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched attacks on Hamas terror infrastructure in the Shati refugee camp deep within the Gaza Strip, targeting primarily weapons storage facilities beyond the Israeli security barrier. Prior to the strikes, phone evacuation warnings were issued to several sites in the area, including a UNRWA elementary school, a Doctors Without Borders medical center, and a compound of the International Rescue Committee. Palestinian sources reported that a mosque and a water desalination facility in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood were hit during the operation.

The strikes come amid heightened tensions following the discovery of at least five balloons in Israeli border communities, including Kibbutz Nahal Oz and the village of Gaza, which carried Arabic slogans but no incendiary or explosive materials. These balloons are believed to have been launched from northern Gaza, with one bearing the message "We will never calm down." Initial investigations suggest that children and teenagers, under Hamas commanders' orders, are responsible for releasing these balloons.

These incidents have revived memories among some Israeli border residents of the years preceding the recent war, when incendiary balloons and kites initially posed a limited threat but eventually caused widespread fires in the area. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz held a security briefing on the situation, warning Hamas that if the launches do not cease immediately, the IDF will intensify targeted operations against those responsible and evacuate populations from areas used for launching balloons, drones, and kites.

Israel emphasized that it will not allow Hamas or any other Gaza-based group to threaten Israeli communities or undermine citizens' sense of security. While the transition to the second phase of Gaza's rehabilitation plan has not officially begun, Israel continues to demand Hamas disarmament. The Southern Command maintains focused counterterrorism operations within Gaza, neutralizing any threats near the security barrier. Individuals involved in the October 7 attacks remain high-priority targets, as demonstrated by the recent elimination of two Hamas militants in the Deir al-Balah area in central Gaza.