GAZA, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian observers and analysts said the escalating tension and growing Israeli threats of a large-scale offensive in the Gaza Strip have kept the situation at stake.

The Israeli threats to launch a large-scale military operation in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip have grown in the past two days, after Palestinian militants fired a barrage of 10 rocket-propelled grenades into southern Israel on Friday night.

In response, Israeli war jets carried out a series of deadly airstrikes on posts, facilities, and training sites affiliated to Hamas and Islamic Jihad's military wings, according to a health ministry report.

"Israel responds to rockets firing from the Gaza Strip by carrying out deliberate strikes in order to avoid a large confrontation with the militants in the Gaza Strip," said Hani Habib, a Gaza-based political analyst.

Earlier on Monday, the Israeli government warned not to turn the Gaza Strip into an Iran-backed militia that keeps posing security threats against Israel.

In response, Yahya Sinwar, Hamas chief in Gaza, said his group has thousands of homemade projectiles and rockets.

"Hamas and the Palestinian factions in Gaza will turn the Israeli towns into ghost ones in case it dares to act against our national causes," said Sinwar.

Adnan Abu Aamer, a Gaza political analyst specialized in Israeli affairs, said the current caution-linked calm in the Gaza Strip serves the interests of both Israelis and Palestinians.

"Gaza's militants are taking a break to rebuild their military capabilities and not interested in a war," while Israel is busy with resolving the political crisis of forming a new government and keeps an eye on the regional situation, especially southern Lebanon and Syria, Aamer said.

Since 2007, Israel has waged three large-scale air and ground military offensives on the Gaza Strip, with the last one in the summer of 2014. Enditem

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