The IAF bombed Hamas targets in response to fire kite terrorism, which the terror group is behind.
By: United with Israel Staff
Israel Air Force (IAF) fighter jets early Monday morning struck nine Hamas targets within two military compounds and a munition manufacturing site in the northern Gaza Strip.
The IDF stated that the strikes were conducted in response to arson and explosive kites and balloons that Palestinian terrorists have been launching into Israel’s south, causing mass blazes and significant damage.
“These are terrorist acts that endanger Israeli residents living in southern Israel and damage extensive areas in Israeli territory,” the IDF stated.
Footage of last night’s IAF strikes of military objectives in the northern Gaza Strip belonging to the Hamas terror organization pic.twitter.com/ZKbmDIb465
— IDF (@IDFSpokesperson) June 18, 2018
These attacks were the first carried out by Israel against Hamas in response to the fire kite terrorism. The IDF has previously fired warning shots near groups who were responsible for the arson and destruction in Israel and has carried out attacks against infrastructure used by these groups.
“The IDF’s intelligence and operational capabilities will allow it to increase these strikes as necessary,” the IDF warned. “The IDF is determined to continue to act with increasing intensity against these acts of terror as long as required, using the variety of tools at its disposal.”
“The Hamas terror organization is accountable for all violence emanating from the Gaza Strip and it will bear the consequences,” the IDF added.
Palestinian media reports that there were no casualties reported in these strikes.
The IDF hopes these attacks on Hamas will pressure the terror organization, which rules Gaza, to prevent the incessant arson attacks on Israel
Overnight Rocket Attack on Israel
The IAF strikes occurred shortly after warning sirens went off in the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council after the IDF identified three rocket launches from the Gaza Strip aimed at Israeli territory.
One of the explosive projectiles apparently landed in the Gaza Strip. No casualties or damage were caused in these attacks.
Israel has stepped up its actions against Gaza-based Palestinians terrorizing the south of the country with airborne arson as fires continued to ravage the countryside and agricultural fields. Sunday saw the outbreak of at least 21 arson-related fires across the south of the country that took firefighters hours to extinguish.
On Saturday night, an IDF aircraft targeted the vehicle of one of the leaders of the squads that have been launching explosive balloons and kites from the northern Gaza Strip. The terror leader was not in the car, and this appears to have been a warning.
Israeli farmers in proximity to Gaza have been subjected to hundreds of burning kites. Dozens of blazes have destroyed several hundred acres of wood and farmland and have ruined produce worth millions of shekels.
Palestinian terrorists have launched more than 600 incendiary kites into Israel since the start of the “March of Return” some 11 weeks ago.
Despite the IDF’s best efforts to stop the kites in flight, more than 200 have managed to set fire to Israeli fields and property. More than 430 fires have erupted, and 2,000 acres of wood and farmland have been damaged by the flames.
Israel has deployed drones to cut down the kites, with limited success. Due to the lack of a comprehensive solution to this low-tech, cheap weapon, there have been increasing calls in Israel for the IDF to respond as they would to any other terrorists threatening the country and to shoot the fire-kite fliers.
Many of the kites are painted with swastikas, revealing the Palestinian rioters’ true anti-Semitic motivation.