Sporadic rocket fire and clusters of balloons rigged with explosives continue to plague Israel’s southern communities.
Palestinian-Islamists indiscriminately launched two projectiles from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip toward Israeli territory on Saturday. Residents of the agricultural community of Kissufim raced into their bomb shelters within 15 seconds after the blaring of air raid sirens, per instructions from the Home Front Command. Both rockets exploded in unpopulated areas, causing no injuries or damage.
Israeli fighter jets and attack helicopters retaliated with strikes on several Hamas terror installations in the central Gaza Strip. According to a statement from the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit, the targets included the destruction of “a military compound” that “will impede the Hamas terror organization’s future abilities.”
The Israeli military reiterated that it views “any kind of terror activity aimed at Israel with great severity, and is prepared for various scenarios,” while further highlighting that Hamas is held “responsible for all events transpiring in the Gaza Strip and emanating from it” and “will bear the consequences for its actions against Israeli civilians.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a meeting in Jerusalem with the council heads of southern communities under fire from Gaza to address the ongoing violence. Even though a “significant military campaign” against Jihadist organizations in the coastal Palestinian enclave would present challenges just two weeks before Israel’s national elections on 2 March, he insisted that a military option remains on the table.