Gaza-based terrorists on Monday launched dozens of balloons connected to explosive charges which flew to several locations throughout Israel’s south.
By Aryeh Savir, TPS
In the Eshkol region, adjacent to the Gaza Strip, balloon clusters landed at three different locations. One exploded in midair, and another two landed and were neutralized by police sappers.
Another balloon tied to an explosive charge landed in the Merchavim area and a sapper was dispatched to the site.
An explosive device tied to a balloon landed in a backyard of a home in Kfar Azza.
Booby-trapped balloons also landed in the cities of Sderot and Kiryat Gat. Several explosions were heard in Kiryat Gat.
Another explosive charge landed near Sa’ad Junction in the south. The road was closed until the police cleared the bomb.
Train traffic in the south was halted for a short while due to the attacks.
No one was injured in any of the attacks and no damage was caused. However, explosions were heard throughout the south as many of the charges exploded in midair.
Israel’s south had seen a significant escalation in the attacks from Gaza in the past few weeks with the renewed launch of balloons attached to explosive charges, and the intensification of rocket fire in recent days.
The explosive and flammable balloon attacks have returned to haunt Israel’s residents in the south in the past weeks after several months in which such attacks from Gaza ceased. Over 60 such explosive charges have landed in Israeli territory in the past two weeks. No one was injured in the attacks.