Israel strikes Hamas sites in Gaza in response to explosive balloons

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JERUSALEM, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- Israel's army said Wednesday it had attacked Hamas sites in the Gaza Strip after Palestinian militants launched incendiary balloons into southern Israel.

The military said in a statement that the attacks were a "response" to dozens of balloons attached with incendiary or explosive materials launched from the coastal enclave.

Fighter jets, attack helicopters and tanks struck "a number of sites" belonging to Hamas, an Islamist Palestinian movement that runs Gaza, including a military compound, underground infrastructures, and observation posts, according to the statement.

The army threatened that it will continue "operating as necessary against attempts to harm Israeli civilians."

Israel estimates that opposition groups in Gaza stand behind the explosive balloons but holds Hamas responsible for not stopping them.

The attack came amidst a new escalation in the region. On Tuesday, Israel closed the Kerem Shalom Crossing, Gaza's main goods crossing, saying the measure is a response to the balloons.

Defense Minister and Israel's Alternate Prime Minister Benny Gantz said that if the launching of the balloons will not be stopped, Israel "will need to respond, and forcefully."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated the threat. "Balloon terrorism will have a heavy price," he said.

During Tuesday, militants in Gaza have flown dozens of balloons attached with incendiary materials, sparking at least 60 fires in southern Israel, according to the Hebrew-language Ynet news site.

Commentators on Palestinian and Israeli media said the balloons often aim to pressure Israel to allow the transfer of Qatari money to Gaza amidst an escalating financial and humanitarian crisis in the besieged Palestinian enclave.

Israel and Hamas had fought three rounds of war with occasional bursts of violence between them. Over the past months, both sides kept an unofficial cease-fire. Enditem

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